Seeker's Catch
by mrs. alex richard pettyfer
Summary: another Jade and Cedric. Jade Potter's pretend attraction to Cedric Diggory creates problems for her friends, her quidditch team, her real love interest Fred Weasley, and herself as she begins to realize her fake attraction is becoming a little too real.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Guys! Its me Mrs-Astoria-Malfoy so anyways I asked iDREAMiTHINKiWRITEfanfiction ****if I could write a story about Cedric and her OC Jade Potter and she said yes! So this story is when Jade is in 3****rd**** year and Cedric is in 6****th**** has a lot of the same things as iDREAMiTHINKiWRITEfanfiction because I didn't want to change everything but some things are different. So enjoy the story.**

. . . . . . . . . . ..

_**A Seeker's Catch**_

_**BY: Mrs-Astoria-Malfoy**_

Our ever-devoted team captain Oliver Wood mentioned Cedric Diggory, and my loyal chasers were lost to a fit of giggles. I too, was laughing as I practiced throwing golf balls at Harry which he would then catch. I didn't have to do a lot of work as I was the reserve seeker.

"What?" Wood asked, faintly annoyed.

"Oh nothing," Alicia Spinnet said, sighing slightly. "He's that tall, good looking one isn't he?

"Strong and silent," Katie added, and the girls and I erupted again.

The boys looked irritated; Fred Weasley looked especially disgusted.

"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together," he said nastily to me as he shoved my broom towards me. I had been making him carry it to me for the last two weeks in return for my doing his potions homework. Hermione would be so mad at me if she found out that I was doing an older student's homework.

"Enough," Wood said. "I don't care who you girls fancy, we _cannot _lose to Hufflepuff, do you understand me? It's my last chance to win the cup!"

"We understand, cool it, Oliver," I laughed, flicking a stray bit of my dark bangs away from my forehead. "We'll concentrate."

"And," I added, hoisting a leg over my broom as I settled by Fred, "Diggory is _not_ thick. He got twelve OWLs, which is probably twelve more than you and George'll get between the pair of you. Have a lovely practice!"

And I kicked off before he could say anything, leaving him with a wide open mouth and an outraged expression. This gratified me.

"Well, good work, Jade," commented Harry as I flew up to join him and the chasers. "Now if you have a Bludger hurtling toward you at seventy miles an hour, he's not going to help you."

"Yeah," Alicia chipped in. "And it's not really the best way to recommend yourself to him."

"But he looks so adorably frustrated," I grinned, throwing a golf ball to Harry. "Now I know he likes me for sure."

"So will you make your move then, or continue to pretend to like Diggory?" Angelina asked, raising an eyebrow.

I laughed. "I'm waiting for him to make _his _move. And I think the Cedric stuff is working. It's at least made him realized what he'd be missing if Diggory and I ever dated…gag me…Good idea, Ange. Cheers."

I, Jade Selene Potter, have been harshly opposed to Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory and his band of fawning admirers for years, but have recently adopted a fake crush and have been using every opportunity I get to publicize it—mainly in front of Fred Weasley. Fred and I have been friends since I was the age of eleven, and I started to have feelings for him this past summer. Yet, he never really seemed to notice me in that respect. Angelina had suggested using Cedric Diggory—whom she knew the twins despised—in order to stir some jealousy in Fred. And it had worked—so far.

"I don't know how you can say that," Alicia gushed. "He's _beautiful_."

Alicia loves Cedric. So does Angelina, come to think of it. And Katie oddly enough because I thought she and Oliver were meant to be. And of course, the rest of the Hogwarts female population. And—in theory—so do I. Except not.

Then, at the insistence of Wood, we actually began to practice.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

After practice, I stripped off my quidditch robes and threw them in a pile in my locker. I'll be honest—I'm a neat person but mot when it came to my quidditch locker. Perhaps that explained the pair of slightly crumpled dark blue skinny jeans I pulled from my duffel bag and slipped on. I proceeded to strut around the locker room in a black tank top, pulling up my long wavy dark hair with a gold ribbon. I was celebrating my victory at increasing Fred's jealousy. My marks prove it, I'm pretty brilliant. I began to sing loudly a recent hit from the Weird Sisters into my hairbrush, sliding around the locker room floor in my socks and bothering Angelina, Alicia, and Katie.

"Very nice, Jade," Alicia said dully, pulling out her shampoo. "Are you even going to shower today?"

"Yes.," I said. Going to a shower stall, I stripped my clothes off and took a shower that lasted about five minutes.

"Well you'd better borrow a sweatshirt or something, or McGonagall will have you thrown out again for indecent exposure," Angelina drawled when I came out wearing the jeans and tank top with my hair dripping.

I chose to make no response, and opened the door that connected to the men's locker room. I was planning on stealing George's Gryffindor team zip-up that had shrunk three sizes in the wash last week, as my own was lost in the endless, bottomless pit of my locker.. I knew McGonagall the old bird too well to suspect that she would let me dine in a tank and jeans. Strictly speaking, I wasn't supposed to enter the dining hall in anything other than a school uniform, but she had stopped disciplining me for this, years ago when her taking of House points had failed to produce the desired effect.

"GEOOOOORGE," I called, still spinning on my heels.

No one responded, however. I shrugged and continued to shout, admiring the way my voice echoed off of the walls. Convinced that the lads had already retreated to dinner, I continued to give my private concert. I have an amazing voice, and particularly enjoy using it when there was no one to hear.

I slid down another aisle of lockers, singing loudly. I whipped my hair around as I turned a corner, hit something hard, and fell onto the floor. And then my brown eyes grew wide as I flicked my bangs back and stared up at what—or rather whom—I had run into.

It was none other than Cedric Diggory, half-naked and confused.

"What are you doing here?" I blurted. I was half-annoyed to find him here. Probably doing his little Prefect, Quidditch captain game of outside practice for himself…I wouldn't put it past him. It was things like this that turned me off to the lad, whilst turning on every other female in the castle. He was damn handsome though, I'll give him that. And he didn't look bad with his shirt off, either.

His handsome face cracked into a grin at my blatant inquiry.

"I might ask you the same thing," he returned, offering me a hand and hoisting me up. "This _is_ the men's locker room."

"I was looking for George," I said coldly, leaning onto one of the lockers. "I wanted to borrow his sweatshirt to wear to dinner and I assumed he'd be in here seeing as how our team just finished practice. And instead, I find Cedric Diggory. You didn't join the team while I had my back turned, did you?"

"Nope," he answered, turning back around and pulling on a shirt. "Still a Hufflepuff. I was just spying on you lot."

"I have to think that Wood will frown on that," I smirked, imagining the way my captain would go ballistic if I informed him of Diggory's supposed treachery.

"Just joking, Potter," he grinned. "I was running the track around the pitch. You didn't see me?"

I didn't, actually. I vaguely remember a blurry outline of someone who was possibly running the track, but I couldn't quite recall. And yet, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie were drooling throughout most of practice, so it was quite possible that Diggory had really been there.

"I guess I didn't," I admitted, shrugging. I was proud to say this, hoping to wound his self-image a little, but he actually smiled at this.

"So that's why you didn't wave back," he laughed. "Your teammates did."

"I'm very intense with my practices," I lied easily. "Angelina, Alicia, and Katie prefer to stare at men who run around the pitch with their shirts off."

Diggory laughed as he shoved the rest of his things into his locker. "I forgot how funny you were, Potter," he remarked, closing the door and leaning against it.

"Yeah, I'm a real riot," I drawled, having to forcibly restrain myself from rolling my eyes. "Anyway, I'd better go find something to throw over my shoulders so McGonagall will get off my ass. See you around, Diggory."

I flipped around on my heel and began to walk toward the door carelessly.

"Oh, and Potter?" Cedric shouted. I turned around.

"You should think about giving concerts, that's a great voice you've got there. It reminded me of my cousin's evil cat." Feline, ugh whatever he just can't appreciate my voice.

He smirked and tossed me his quidditch jacket. I laughed a little, involuntarily, and shook my head in amazement as I exited the room.

_So Cedric Diggory could be a smart ass. Who knew?_

. . . . . . . . . . ..

Cedric's jacket was yellow and black, with a picture of a badger and his last name sewn on the back. His number was seven.

Ordinarily I would have burned it, or traded it with Granger for a week's worth of Transfiguration homework, but I slipped it on to piss off Fred and headed to dinner. An added bonus was that most of the girls I hated glared at me during dinner. And, it actually smelled good.

"You're being a spectacle," Hermione stated dryly.

"You think I don't know that?" I hissed. "It's all part of the plan, believe me."

"How did you even _get_ that?" Lavender said, eyes popping out of her head.

"I memorized his locker combination and raided it," I said sarcastically. "What do you think? I ran into him and he offered it to me. No big deal."

"_Fred_ seems to think it's a big deal." Parviti insisted.

I grinned as Fred moodily stuck his fork into the Shepard's Pie before him.

"Cedric is _so_ nice," I gushed, shoving my face full of food.


	2. Chapter 2

Having decided that I had tortured poor Fred enough for one evening, I told my mates I'd meet them up in the common room and headed for the Hufflepuff table in order to return Cedric's jacket. I avoided the Hufflepuff table in general, as I avoided all other House tables, and was consequently unaware of where Diggory usually sat. I scanned the rows of dim-witted Hufflepuffs. Cedric wasn't hard to find; his good looks and incredibly white teeth made him a cinch to spot in a crowd of overeating doffers.

"Oi! Diggory!" I called as I made my way over to where he sat amidst his friends and admirers.

He looked up and smiled at me, flashing those teeth. "Hey Potter," he said easily.

"Thanks for the jacket," I replied, taking it off. "McGonagall's always on me about appearing decent at dinner. You saved my skin. Literally—ha!"

He cracked a grin, attempting valiantly to laugh at my pathetic joke but failing. "Not a problem."

"Anyway," I said, balling it up and preparing to toss it to him, "I'll see ya around."

"_Miss Potter_!"

I looked up in time to see McGonagall striding toward me, looking pretty seriously displeased. "How many times must we have this conversation?" she asked sternly. "Cover up at dinner!"

"Oh," I said, looking down at myself and realizing that I was once again in the wife beater. "Sorry about that, Professor."

"That's _Professor McGonagall_," she said exasperated, as I tossed Cedric's jacket to him much the same way I would a basketball—underhanded and just a bit of spin. He caught it, looking impressed.

"Right," I replied carelessly, once again flicking my bangs away from my face. "I was just leaving anyway."

And I turned around, heading for the door and leaving Diggory with a look of surprised esteem. This time I really did roll my eyes. That was enough of messing with Cedric, I decided. I was headed up to Gryffindor Tower to find a couple of blokes who weren't so easily impressed with my ridiculous rebellions.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

"Hello, lads," I said as obnoxiously as possible, wedging myself between the Weasley twins. "Fancy a game of Exploding Snap?"

"Definitely," George said, scooting over to allow me room as his twin replied, "Not a chance."

"Why what's the matter, ickle Freddy-kins?" I teased, reaching over and messing up his shaggy ginger hair. "Think you'll lose?"

"_No_," he replied testily. "I just don't fancy a game with someone who spends her spare time acting like an idiot in front of Cedric Diggory."

I rolled my eyes. "Good Godric, Fred, I was just messing around. You know I don't give a flying fart in space about Cedric Diggory."

"You don't?" he asked, surprised.

George took the hint, and got up to go flirt with Alicia who was sitting by the fire with Angelina and Lee.

"You know I don't," I laughed. "I was just trying to get a rise out of you."

"Well then why were you wearing his jacket and flirting with him at dinner?" Fred asked suspiciously, raising one eyebrow in a manner I had never managed to achieve.

"I ran into him after practice," I shrugged. "I needed a jacket for dinner or else McGonagall would've skinned me alive, and I headed to the men's locker room to try and find—" I paused, weighing my options. "You. To borrow your jacket. But you weren't there, and Diggory was so I took it. And I wasn't _flirting_ at dinner. I was returning it."

"You're joking," Fred said.

"Cross my heart," I promised, and a grin spread over his freckled face.

Okay. So I wasn't being completely honest. But pretending I was looking for Fred's jacket instead of George's was a nice touch, and he didn't need to know that I was flirting with Diggory to get him to notice me.

"Well then, touché, Jade Potter," Fred laughed as he stretched and placed his arm around me. "But no more messing around with Cedric Diggory, alright? I may start to get jealous."

My insides squirmed, but I attempted to conceal it. "I promise," I grinned, settling happy onto Fred's chest. Angelina caught my eye and grinned, and I smirked back.

A few minutes later, Fred and I, George, Harry and Ron were all happily playing a game of Exploding Snap in front of the fireplace. Ron got his eyebrows singed and went to go clean up, but when hecame back he was red in the face and breathing heavily.

"Jade," Ron said between breaths. "I'm about twenty seconds in front of Oliver. He's looking for you, and he's _pissed_."

"What?" I asked, confused. "Why?"

Ron shrugged, still panting. "I think he's upset about you and Cedric."

I groaned, and Fred laughed at me.

"Hey!" I exclaimed.

He shrugged and cracked up. "What?" he asked. "You can't ask me not have a bit of fun."

"You _told_ him I was wearing Cedric's jacket?"

"Of course. I know how you love Oliver rage."

"I ought to skin you!"

I was about to pounce on Fred when Oliver himself came through the door.

"Potter!" he barked. "I want to see you _now_!"

I swallowed. "Okay," I said meekly, throwing a dirty look at Fred who grinned and waggled his fingers at me in an idiotic goodbye. I kicked him as I passed.

"What is it, Oliver?" I asked, doing my best to sound innocent. "Want me to look over some of the new plays?"

"_No_," he said angrily. "What I would like for you to do is to _stop consorting with the enemy_!"

"The _enemy_?" I asked incredulously. "Oliver, what the _hell_ are you talking about?"

"Diggory!" Wood exploded so loudly that half of the Common Room looked up. "What the hell are you doing flirting with _Cedric the Wanker Diggory_?"

I bit my lip, trying to think fast. There was no way I could tell Oliver the real reason I was pretending to pine after Cedric. He was as against intra-team dating as he was against inter-team dating. If I told Oliver I was attempting to ensnare Fred, he would blow up on me about messing up the team dynamic. He would probably also forbid me from spending time with him—seriously, Oliver is that obsessed. And he would enforce it, too. He has plenty of third and fourth year girls willing to be his spies. I wasn't sure what to do, so I screwed my eyes shut and waited for the yelling to be over.

"Answer me when I'm speaking to you, Potter!" Wood shouted. "Do you want to be off the team?"

I could care less I'm a reserve seeker, but I shouldn't make him any madder. _"Why!"_

"Oh, I would. And if you don't give me a good reason why you were off with—_him_—I will!"

Okay, Jade. Think fast, you can do this.

"I was…I was…" I paused for time, and suddenly Cedric's excuse for being in the locker room popped into my head. "I was trying to spy for Gryffindor," I blurted.

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he said.

"Yeah," I said, easing myself into the lie. "Yeah, I mean…he's obviously attracted to me, and I decided I would use it to—er—get him to show me his secret play book. That's why I've been pretending to fancy him."

"Diggory has a secret play book?" Wood asked, intrigued.

"Yeahhhh," I replied, rocking back and forth on the balls of my feet.

"He told you this?"

"Mmm," I lied, pursing my lips.

He mused over this, putting a hand on my shoulder and leading me to a remote part of the common room.

"Potter," he said, slowly and quietly. "That is the probably the most brilliant idea I've heard out of you since you joined the team. You're a bloody genius!"

"Well thanks, Oliver, but honestly, I was thinking about giving it up, I mean it's definitely a wild goose chase. He's thick but he's not _that _thick, and—"

"No," Oliver said, deep in thought. "No, you're going to go through with this. We need that playbook. If Diggory's hiding something, we've got to know what it is. All's fair in love and sports. You do this, Jade. For Gryffindor."

Oliver had that crazed look in his eye, the one where I can't deny him anything without getting the shit kicked out of me. I nod quickly, planning on employing Fred and George to raid Hufflepuff House and steal the playbook—if such a playbook even existed.

"Good," Wood said. "And Jade? Don't tell the rest of the team about this, alright? Especially Fred and George. If they know, the whole school will know in a matter of a few minutes."

I frowned. "Okay," I said miserably. "I won't."

"Promise, Jade."

"I promise."

"Good. I'll charm them tonight, so that if you do happen to let it slip, they'll tell me immediately. And then, Jade, I'm going to have no choice but to actually kick you off the team. You understand."

"Why do I feel like I'm being blackmailed?" I frowned.

"Don't _worry_ about it! It's completely ethical. There's no rule against it. McGonagall actually encourages this kind of thing, you know that."

I knew the truth of that statement too well to argue against it. McGonagall had actually sanctioned the twins into raiding the Slytherin broom shed and placing a few Anti-Speed charms on their Nimbus 2001s. Dumbledore himself looked upon all of this as "friendly competition," something "healthy for developing young wizards." The only thing we weren't allowed to do was to physically wound each other.

"I feel sick" I said.

"Hey, this was _your_ idea, Potter."

"Yeah," I said miserably. "It sure was."

"And if you don't mind, I actually _would_ like you to look at a few new plays I've devised…just to see if you think they're feasible, you know."

"Sure," I said dully.

I was in some deep shit.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I couldn't sleep that night. I couldn't believe the mess I had gotten myself into just by accepting Cedric Diggory's stupid jacket. I had sworn off meddling with him now that Fred seemed pretty solidly to fancy me, and an idiot lie was forcing me back into contact with him.

But having to spend time around Cedric Diggory was the least of my worries. He was obnoxious to be sure, but what I was really worried about was how all of this was going to affect my relationship with Fred. Oliver was ensuring—probably right now—that I couldn't give him the real reason I would be continuing to pretend to pine after Cedric, after I swore to Fred that I would cease and desist. Furthermore, I wasn't even sure Cedric _did_ have a secret playbook, a playbook at all, or even a remote strategy for upcoming match. Cedric was _not_ in any way attracted to me as I had pretended, and so finding it was not exactly an option. I couldn't break into the Hufflepuff Common Room on my own, and Fred and George could not help me do so.

Yes, I was definitely in some kind of a pickle.

Hermione had noticed earlier that night.

"Jade, for your evil little plan working, you don't look so good," Granger observed.

Maybe that was because I was curled up into a ball on my bed, hitting my head against the headboard and groaning.

"What's the matter?" she asked. "Fred clearly likes you, and as for Oliver, that will all blow over later. What's up?"

"I can't tell you," I moaned. "I'm not allowed."

"_Jade_," Hermione said sternly. "You haven't gotten yourself into another one of your famous web of lies, have you?"

"Maybe," I squeaked, burying my head in my pillow.

"Jade!" Hermione yelled. "I thought you promised never to lie again!"

"It's hard!" I pouted. "And I can't tell anyone about it, and Fred is going to hate me forever if I _don't_ tell him, and—"

"What is it?" Parviti asked seriously this time. I trusted her more than Brown.

As Oliver had not threatened to charm my roommates, I spilled the beans almost instantly.

"Wow," Hermione said. "That's rough."

"Yeah," Parviti echoed. "But I think the best way out is still the most straight forward."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Tell the truth," she said simply.

I burst out laughing. "Are you crazy, Patil? Do you realize what will happen if I tell Oliver I lied to him? He'll kick me off team! And if he doesn't kick me off the team for lying, he'll kick me off for fancying Fred! It's hopeless!"

We had continued to argue until Hermione forced us to shut up and go to bed.

I'm not going to tell the truth. But I'm not going to continue with the plan, either. That would be suicide. I decided I would simply do nothing; it was rare that I ran into Oliver Wood, and even rarer that I ran into Cedric Diggory. The chances of seeing them both together were slim, except at meal time where we ate with our own houses, and Oliver would never know I wasn't trying to flirt with Cedric. By the time the match rolled around in two months, I would tell Oliver that Cedric had caught onto me and our cover was blown. He would just have to live with that. Fred would suspect nothing, and we could all live happily ever after.

Good plan, Jade. Good plan.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, I avoided eye contact with both Oliver and Cedric and contented myself to a normal breakfast with my best mates. I settled down next to Fred after a moment's hesitation and he greeted me with a grin.

"Over pretty boy Diggory, are we?" Lee smirked, and I gave him the finger.

"Jade decided to donate him to Alicia and me for charity," Ange quipped. "But I think she's going to settle for an inferior model now."

She poked Fred and he made a face at her.

"Maybe _you _should settle for a superior model, then, Angie," Lee said in a would-be-casual voice. "Like me. You know, leave him to Alicia."

Angelina scoffed. "In your dreams, Jordan."

"Fred, butter my toast," George said lazily, shoving a plate of his toast toward his twin brother.

"You butter it," Fred returned, pushing it back across the table and stretching mightily. "And butter Jade's, too while you're at it. She deserves something for coming back to her senses."

I rolled my eyes as I began to butter the twins' toast as well as my own. "Sod off, Fred. How d'you know I don't agree with Ange and think you're an inferior model to Cedric Diggory?"

"Because you fancy me," he said smarmily. "And you're going to Hogsmeade with me this weekend."

"Oh am I?" I returned, shoving George's toast toward him, which he began to devour immediately. "I don't remember being consulted in the matter."

"Your eyes said it, my dear," Fred said, batting his unusually long lashes and reaching for his toast. I smacked his hand away.

"Well I'm not going with you, how's that?" I teased, shoving his toast in my face.

"Oh yes, I think you _are_," Fred said, grabbing my toast and shoving it in his own mouth.

"Hmph!" I protested.

"Mmph, mmph, mmph!" Fred replied.

"Oh Godric," Alicia frowned. "We should have never allowed them to fancy one another. Look what's happened to the breakfast table."

"That happens most days with the pair of them, regardless, my dear," George said solemnly.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

"Psst, Jade!"

I turned around from my seat in Transfiguration next to Ron to face Seamus Finnigan who was looking very intently at me with those piercing brown eyes.

"What?" I hissed.

"You will come with me this Hogsmeade weekend, right?"

I grinned and flounced my shoulders. "Sorry but I've got a date," I said playfully, turning back around.

He poked me on the back of my neck with his quill.

"Ow!" I gasped, turning around again.

"Seriously, Jade, will you go?"

I blushed and grinned. "Sorry."

A frown appeared on his face and then he brightened up. "Does that mean that you finally got the courage to tell Fred"

"Mr. Finnigan, Miss Potter," Professor McGonagall said sharply. "Do you have questions about the method, or are you using my classroom as an opportunity to socialize?"

"The latter, I'm afraid, Professor," Seamus said cheekily. "But the good news is that Jade finally told her crush that she likes him."

The class laughed.

"I'm thrilled," McGonagall said dryly. "But can we please refocus our attention on Vanishing Spells at the present? They're extremely difficult and require the utmost attention to detail…"

She began to lecture to the class in general, and I shared one last grin with Seamus before turning around to focus on the textbook opened before me.

"Now as you know," McGonagall continued, "It is impossible to master the Vanishing Spell without totally understanding the theory of the Summoning Spell. This is why I had you pass off your Summoning Spells with me earlier this semester. Now refresh my memory, has anyone _not _passed off the Summoning Spell?"

My mind was drawing a blank. Summoning Spell? I raised my hand.

"Miss Potter, didn't you do this?" McGonagall looked puzzled.

"I don't remember it, Professor," I said honestly.

"_Oh_," Dean said knowingly. "That was the week Jade was in the Hospital Wing because George knocked her in the head with his beater's bat."

"That was an accident!" Ron shouted.

Again, the class laughed and McGonagall had to calm them down. "I suppose you're right, Mr. Thomas," she sighed. "Miss Potter, please spend the class period studying Summoning Spells, and I will arrange for an older student to tutor you in the evenings for this week."

"What?" I asked. "But Professor, quidditch!"

"Quidditch can wait," McGonagall said sternly. "This is for your OWLs. I'm sure Wood will understand."

"I doubt that," I scoffed.

"I will speak to him," she said shortly. "In the meantime—"

"I'll tutor her," Seamus volunteered cheerily. "You and me alone in a classroom, what do you say, Jadie?"

"That will do, Mr. Finnigan," Professor McGonagall interjected. "I am finding an older student to tutor Miss Potter, as I can't quite vouch for the safety of leaving you in charge as an instructor."

I laughed, and after that the class settled down into its usual torpor.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

"Who did McGonagall get to tutor you?" Fred asked lazily. The two of us were lying on the floor of the Common Room in front of the fireplace, Fred tossing a Quaffle up and down in the air.

"Dunno," I answered back, punching him in the stomach which caused him to throw the ball at George, who was sitting on the couch with Angelina.

"Ouch!" the twins cried in unison. Angelina got up and came and sat near me.

"But you absolutely have to go at eight?" she asked.

"Yeah," I frowned, sitting up and shaking out my hair. "Wood's gonna blow a gasket."

"I haven't seen old Woody today," George commented. "Maybe you should run now before he notices you're missing."

"Yeah," I sighed, checking my watch. "God, I hope it's not Marcus Flint."

My mates laughed and Angelina scoffed, "As if. I'd be surprised if he got any OWLs at all, and even more so if _he_ was who McGonagall selected for you. It will probably be that Ravenclaw Penelope Clearwater or someone."

"Probably," I agreed, shoving my Transfiguration book into my bag and shouldering it. "Well, I'll see you lot later, I guess."

"See ya," they all returned, Fred winking at me as I departed the Common Room.

XxX

I let my bag drag on the floor all the way to McGonagall's office, where she had told me to meet my tutor. I sincerely hoped it wasn't Penelope Clearwater —I hated her for her stick straight blonde hair, eleven OWLs, and perfect nails. However, she was Head Girl, which made it a distinct possibility that she would be awaiting me beyond the door at the end of the corridor. On the other hand, it could be the Head Boy as well. Not much better there, however. Much as I liked Fred and George's family in general, Percy Weasley and I did not think highly of each other. He always tried to give me detention for yelling in the common room. The wanker.

I had reached the door, and had additionally managed to form a large hole and a few scuff marks on the bottom of my bag. I frowned and gave it a quick mend with my wand. Then, preparing myself to not audibly groan in case with _was_ either Percy or Penelope, I pushed the door open.

It was Cedric Diggory.

"_You_!" I shouted, completely taken off guard and slightly terrified. If Oliver _ever_ found out about this—and I was sure he was going to—my goose was cooked. I would have_ no_ excuse not to make "adequate progress" with Diggory now.

Cedric looked confused, and then laughed a little. "It's nice to see you, too, Katie."

"_You're_ my tutor?" I asked, disbelieving.

"Yes," he answered, getting up and pulling out a chair for me so that I would join him at the small table in the middle of the room. "What's the matter? Don't you think I'm capable?"

He smirked at me, as though daring me to mouth off to him so he could give me some supposedly clever canned answer he had probably spent all afternoon preparing.

"No, it's not that," I answered defiantly, seating myself as he returned to his chair. "I guess I was just expecting someone…older."

This was slightly true, I reasoned.

He laughed, flashing those sparkling white teeth at me again. "Well, I am older than you," he reminded me. "And I happen to love Transfiguration, and I passed the OWL so I think it will be fine."

"_Passed_ the OWL," I scoffed. "You got an 'O', didn't you?"

"Grades aren't important," he muttered, averting eye contact with me.

"_Didn't you_?" I pressed.

"Well, yeah," he admitted, a slight twinge of pink appearing in his cheeks. I laughed.

"What?" he asked, looking confused.

"Is it fun being that noble?" I asked.

He laughed uncomfortably and looked away again. "I'm not noble…" he trailed off. "Well, so let's get started, shall we? I assume you've read the chapter on the theory, and I've brought some simple stuff we can try out…"

I stopped listening to him and observed him as he hauled out his bag, first pulling out his own Transfiguration textbook and various other odds and ends and setting them up around the table as part of an elaborately designed teaching plan. I raised an eyebrow at him, as he continued to babble away about theory and wondered what the hell Cedric Diggory, _the_ Cedric Diggory who could easily be bedding any girl in the castle was doing sitting across from me, spending his free time lecturing me about Summoning Theory.

"Are you for _real_?" I asked, slightly angry with his benevolence.

"What?" he asked, looking up from what he was doing confused. "What do you mean?"

"Like are you for real?" I repeated. "Do you actually _enjoy _doing this stuff, or is this part of that Prefect complex you all have where you get off on imparting your vastly superior knowledge on Gryffindors like me? Because I don't know _anyone_ who would do this without extra credit unless they wanted some kind of sick demented ego boost. That's kind of a sad way of getting happiness, I think."

Cedric's dark eyes bore into mine with a sudden and disarming intensity. "Is that what you think of me?" he asked, soundly deeply offended. "Is that what you _honestly_ think of me? Because I have news for you, Jade—I _don't_ think you're stupid, and I _don't_ look down on other people because I'm a Prefect. In fact, I don't know one that does. I agreed to tutor you because I _like _Transfiguration, and I _like_ helping other people, and I think you're a very genuine, talented, and entertaining girl. _That's_ the truth, and if you think it's anything other than that, you're not looking very hard."

I instantly felt a rush of shame against my will, and turned my head away from his gaze. Why was he making me feel guilty? Professor Dumbledore couldn't even make me feel guilty, and Godric knows he's tried…

"You really think those things about me?" I asked in a small voice. I was embarrassed. I, who had been attempting to manipulate and use this boy, was being told that I was genuine, talented, and entertaining.

"Yes," he said seriously. "And if you don't want me, that's fine, but I think we should both try to get to know one another before me make premature judgments, alright?"

I looked back up into his eyes. They were still gazing very intently into my own.

"Alright," I said softly.

"Good," he smiled. "So let's get started."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

An hour later, I was kicking my textbook which refused to come toward me and berating it with various swear words as Cedric regarded me with a bemused expression.

"Get the _fuck_ over here, you little _mother fucker_! Stupid piece of _shit_!"

"That's not the incantation," Cedric supplied, smirking slightly. "But you do have a lovely vocabulary."

"Oh, and I suppose you don't ever swear?" I snapped.

He looked uncomfortable, and then shook his head. "No…no, not really."

I rolled my eyes. "Right. I forgot whom I was asking. Fred and George teach their garden gnomes dirtier words than anyone else has even thought of, and I'm being tutored by the ever optimistic Hufflepuff who's never reverted to vulgar language…"

"Hey—"

"Ugh, what's the _use_?" I groaned, interrupting him and sliding back into my seat. "I'll never get it!"

"Sure you will," he said supportively, in traditional Cedric Diggory style. "You're doing great."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Only _you_ would say that."

"No, I'm serious," he said intently. "I think by the end of the week, you'll be ready to practice vanishing spells no problem!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I said, watching as he stood up to collect his teaching objects I had destroyed within the last hour.

"You're being too hard on yourself, Jade," he smiled. "I think Wood's drilled perfection into you a little too well."

I gasped. "Wood! Oh Godric, if he knew I was here—"

"Don't worry about it," Cedric cut me off. "He's fine with it; he was actually the one who suggested I tutor you. McGonagall told me."

"What?" I shouted.

"I know," he continued. "That's what I thought." He laughed. "He must be hoping I slip some top-secret Hufflepuff team strategies to you during this week or something."

He winked at me in sarcasm and I let out a high, very false laugh which caused him to regard me strangely and then I let it taper out, burying my face in my hands.

"Oh sweet Merlin," I moaned. "Why me?"

"Don't sweat it, Potter," he said, clapping me on the back. "You're a natural, trust me."

"You have no idea what you're talking about," I bemoaned, meaning every word more than he knew.

He handed me my bag. "Here, you've had enough for one night I think. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, okay," I said, heading for the door.

Cedric beat me there, however, and held open the door, waiting near it. I regarded him curiously.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Um…holding the door open for you?" he said, looking slightly petrified that I was asking.

"But. . .Why?" I asked.

"Because Mother said that's what you do for girls," he muttered, looking less and less sure of himself. "You know what, forget it, I'll just go."

I laughed loudly. "No," I grinned, clapping him on the back. "No, thank you, Cedric. You know, guys like you are rare around here. Well, I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Have a good night, Jade," he smiled.

"I will," _Goody goody_, I added in my head.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I was swearing to myself about my cursed luck as I approached Gryffindor Tower. I just wanted to see Fred, maybe cuddle a little, and then go to bed. Unfortunately, just as I was about to give the Fat Lady the password, I was accosted by my least favorite person in the castle.

"Hi, Jade," grinned the disgusting Draco Malfoy. Seriously, he's horrific. That stupid gelled hair, pale skin, and freaky gray eyes. I can't blame Harry for loathing the bloke. You just have to look at him to know he reeks of evil.

I spat. "Get out of my way."

"I don't think so," he said, smirking "I want to look at that figure of yours a little bit longer."

"Fuck off," I said, shoving him out of my way.

"Hey!" he shouted as he tumbled backward. "Bitch!"

My eyes flashed and I was about to hex him, but at that moment McGonagall came around the corner.

"Mr. Malfoy!" she shouted angrily. "What are you _doing_? I thought I told you to keep away from Gryffindor Tower!"

"Oh, don't worry, Professor," I said dryly. "It just wouldn't be Malfoy if he didn't try to harass me."

She ignored me. "I'm handing you over to Professor Snape this instant!" she continued to shout. I rolled my eyes and entered the Common Room.

I flicked my eyes around for Fred, but failed to find him. I figured he was probably still down in the locker room, showering after practice—he did during the weekdays. I sighed.

"Potter!"

I turned around wearily. It was Oliver Wood.

"Potter," he said excitedly. He had clearly just emerged from the showers; water droplets were still clinging to the ends of his short brown hair. "So? So how was it? Are you any closer to the secret playbook?"

"Umm…"

"You know I requested him for that purpose, right? Like I would do it otherwise…what could he teach you? He may be 'brilliant,' but he's still a Hufflepuff, right? Ha ha—"

I held up a hand. "Wood," I said, annoyed. "Diggory's not a box of rocks, alright? Leave him alone."

"Fine, fine," he said, brushing it aside with his hand. "But you're still seducing him, right? And it's going well?"

"Oh, it's going _great_," I said miserably. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think my brain's going to explode, and I'm going to bed."

And without waiting up for Fred, I drug myself up the steps toward the girls' dormitories, to Wood's shouts of, "Potter, don't forget! It's important for the team! It's for _Gryffindor_!"


	4. Chapter 4

Fred was upset you didn't wait up for him last night, you know," Granger stated as I brushed my teeth.

"So?" I said thickly through the toothpaste.

"I thought you liked him," Parviti put in. She was combing out her thick black hair.

"I do," I answered, spitting in the sink. "I just didn't want to see him last night."

"Why not?" she asked curiously.

I groaned. "Because I don't want to tell him that my Transfiguration tutor is Cedric Diggory."

"What?" they squealed simultaneously. "Really?

I stared at the pair of them. "God, you two are pathetic. Yes, it's him."

"You're _so_ lucky," Parviti gushed. "I should get George to hit me over the head with his beater's bat too…"

"No, I am _not_ lucky," I reminded them. "Because Oliver was the one who requested that Diggory tutor me. He's clearly attempting to get us alone together so I can seduce him into giving me the secret playbook."

I groaned as understanding dawned on them.

"You're in quite a pickle," 'Mione said. "But maybe you can still fend Wood off and pretend to make progress. It's not like he's going to see the two of you together. And at the end of the week, you can tell him Diggory got wise to you just like you were planning."

"Yeah, but what about Fred?" I frowned. "He's going to get suspicious if he finds out Diggory's tutoring me and that Wood's not upset about it. You know him."

"Good point," Hermione said, pursing her lips together. "Well, hey, how about this? Ange or Alicia lets Fred know what's going on, and then that curse won't activate because it's not you saying anything."

Parviti shook her head fervently. "No good," she said. "You know Fred—he's bound to be completely pissed off if he finds out Wood's using Jade and that he drugged him and his twin."

"He'll raise hell, definitely," I added.

"And then Wood will know Jade told them, and they might be off the team too," Alicia finished.

Granger rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, is Wood going to throw _all of them_ off the team?"

"It's his 'last chance to win the cup'!" I said sarcastically. "He'll do whatever it takes to get a unified team, even if that means bringing in reserves."

The three of us paused for a while, thinking.

"You know," Parviti said. "I don't really think this is your problem to be worrying about."

"What?" I asked.

"Yeah," she continued. "It's definitely Oliver's. If Fred gets wise to his plan, he has to cover up. Not you."

"Good point," I grinned. "And Wood's not clever enough to come up with a front. He'll say something stupid, and Fred will guess it in no time! And then I'll be out, baby, I'll be out!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The girls and I headed down to breakfast and headed down to where the lads were saving us our usual spots. On the way to Gryffindor table, Cedric caught my eye and grinned. I smiled back.

"What's it like being in a closed space with him, anyway?" Parviti asked, noticing the exchange.

"It's…" I paused, musing. "Not bad, surprisingly. He's a nice lad. Obnoxiously noble, of course, but decent to have a conversation with."

"I knew it!" Lavender exclaimed. "No girl can ever possibly despise him!"

I laughed and rolled my eyes as 'Mione added, "Yeah, Jade, mind yourself before you fall for him on accident."

"That'll be the day," I said sarcastically.

"Well let's hope it never happens," she returned. "For our sakes, and for poor Fred's."

'Poor Fred' was looking a little miffed as I seated myself next to him and helped myself to some of the eggs off of his plate.

"What's the matter with you?" I asked. "You look like you do when George beats you to the punch line of a joke."

"I love doing that!" George shouted stupidly from across the table.

Fred glared at his twin brother and then looked back at me. "How come you didn't wait up last night?" he asked, looking a little offended.

"Big deal friend it was one night."

He paused for a few minutes and then said, "But I don't care about that. I wanted to see _you_."

I blushed involuntarily and busied myself with buttering my toast. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I had really planned on waiting up for you, but you were taking ages in the shower and Wood was harassing me about…quidditch. I had to get away."

"Little bugger," Fred muttered resentfully. "By the way, how was the tutoring?"

My opportunity had arrived. "It was decent," I answered in a would-be-casual voice. "Cedric Diggory is my tutor."

"What? Jade, I thought you'd sworn him off!" His face looked red with surprise and jealousy. It was all I could do not to laugh and feel pleased with myself.

"_I_ didn't choose him, Fred. He got assigned to me."

"The wanker, I bet he volunteered for the job! He probably wants in your knickers. I'll tell Wood about it, he'll never let this pass."

"Go ahead," I said easily. "I'd rather have someone else anyway."

This was not true, and I recognized the lie as it exited my mouth. It was a strange feeling, and I shook it away by reasoning that Cedric was preferable to either Percy or Penelope.

"Wood!" Fred bellowed down the table without bothering to get up. "Wood, did you know Katie's being tutored by _Cedric Diggory_?"

Wood looked up from his morning pumpkin juice, with a calm look on his face.

"Yeah," he answered, nonplussed.

"Don't you have a problem with that?"

I smiled slightly to myself, waiting for Oliver's idiotic reply and for Fred to piece together the whole in a matter of minutes. He was a clever lad, Fred Weasley; Oliver Wood, not so much.

"Of course I have a problem with it," Oliver answered. My jaw dropped. "But there's nothing I can do about it, I've already spoken to McGonagall."

"He must have been prepared," Angelina hissed in my ear, apparently surprised as well.

"The little fuck!" I swore under my breath. "What do I do now?"

"Why would McGonagall insist?" Fred persisted. "There must be plenty of other prats who can tutor her. My brother, for example!"

"I heard that, Fred!" Percy shouted a few seats down.

Oliver shrugged. "Dunno," he said as coolly as if he was having a completely normal conversation, "But you know McGonagall…always wanting to improve inter-house ties."

"He's almost as good of a liar as you are," Ange whispered. I frowned.

"Well, I'm going to talk to her about it just the same," Fred said stubbornly, turning back to me. "There's no way I'm having you spending your evenings with that fancy lad if you don't have to."

I began to panic. If Fred succeeded in changing my tutor, Oliver would blow a gasket and probably find a more intrusive way of setting Cedric and I up. And besides…I'd rather keep Cedric than not.

"Fred, _please_," I said, trying to sound serious. "I'd much rather be stuck with Cedric Diggory than Percy. Wouldn't you?"

"Oh…" Fred mused, obviously still steamed. "I guess so. But I don't like it."

"It's okay," I said soothingly. "Tonight I'll wait up for you."

"Really?"

He grinned.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

Harry, Ron, and I skived off Divination that afternoon in order to go out to the pitch and play a little Quidditch. Even after one missed practice, I was already missing it dreadfully. Ron was playing Keeper while Harry passed me the Quaffle as I flew in toward the goal hoops and attempted to score. As Ron wasn't a terrific Keeper, this wasn't horribly difficult.

Just as I managed to put another goal past Ron, an unwelcome voice shouted up at me.

"Skiving off, are we, Poptterl? I bet Professor Snape would like to hear about that!"

Draco Malfoy glared up at me with beady eyes.

"Beat it, Malfoy!" I shouted angrily.

"I don't think so!" he snarled back. "I owe you a detention after last night!"

"Last night?" Harry asked, amused. "What have you been doing with Malfoy, Jade?"

"Were you caught with him in a broom cupboard and fled when Filch arrived?" Ron chipped in. They both cracked up.

I glared at them.

"McGonagall may like you, Potter, but I can guarantee Snape won't have as much sympathy!" Malfoy hollered.

"Aren't _you _skiving off?" I yelled back. "I'd be more worried about it if I were you! You wouldn't want to repeat 3rd Year again, would you?"

"Why are you such a bitch?" he shouted. "I ought to toss you into a broom cupboard and teach you a lesson!"

The boys were now almost in tears, and so was I, but for a different reason.

"Get bent!" I shouted angrily, my eyes stinging. I hurtled toward him at my fastest speed. His eyes bugged out and he quickly turned and ran. I pulled up and landed gracefully, Ron and Harry following me in a matter of a few seconds.

"Oi, Jade!" Harry called, "Wait up!"

"Why?" I spat, now marching off the pitch to toss my Firebolt into the shed.

"What've you got your knickers in a twist over?" he shouted, running to catch up to me.

"What do you _think_?" I said, pausing to turn around and glare at him.

"Oh, come on, it's only Malfoy," Ron said helpfully. "He's always like that to everyone."

"That's_ not_ what I care about," I said testily, still eyeing them.

"Then what?" he said, holding out his hands. "What'd I do?"

"You couldn't defend me, could you?" I said angrily. "You couldn't mutter one 'Fuck off, Malfoy? Would it have killed you?"

"Oh come off it, Jade, you know if I thought you were in any real danger I would've knocked the tosser into the next continent. You handled it spectacularly yourself!"

I cried, tears now streaming down my face. "I _hate_ being spoken to like that! And I hate _you_ for not saying anything!"

And I whirled around and marched back into the castle.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

I avoided them the rest of afternoon and into the evening. I ignored the repeated proddings with his quill in Charms as well as the paper balls he hurled at me during the study period. Parviti and Lavender, to whom I had related the full, kept guard and refused to let him approach me during dinner. Hermione additionally refused to speak to them after discovering that they had been present.

By the end of the day, Harry and Ron were brooding in a corner of the Common Room whilst the girls and I cast disdaining looks in their direction. 'Mione moved awkwardly between the two groups.

At 7:50, Oliver approached and led me away into a corner.

"Potter," he hissed. "Turn on the charm tonight, okay? We're going to need that playbook by the end of the week if we're going to have adequate time to counterattack."

I rolled my eyes at him, not at all in the mood to deal with his antics. "Oliver, it's _Cedric_. How devious and creative can his mind be?"

"Those are the ones you've got to watch out for, Katie," he said fervently. "You never know what they're going to throw your way. By the way, wasn't that clever the way I threw Fred off the scent this morning?"

He grinned ear to ear; I stared at him for a few seconds, shook my head, and grabbed my bag.

"I'll see ya later, Oliver," I said lazily, glad for any chance I could get to exit the Common Room.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Hi, Jade," Cedric said cheerfully as I entered McGonagall's office. He stood up to pull a chair out for me, which I immediately collapsed into.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Are you alright?"

"I'm utterly fantastic, Cedric," I said without feeling, now proceeding to hit my head on the table repeatedly.

He smirked at me. "We haven't started practicing yet," he said gently.

"Oh, Godric, the last thing I need now is to fail at the Summoning Spell again," I moaned.

"Come on, what's wrong?" he asked, now serious. "You can tell me, it's okay."

I looked up at him dubiously.

"And it's not a Prefect thing, cross my heart," he added, smiling.

I laughed a little, but declined telling him. He was still a relatively new acquaintance and the thought of telling Cedric about my guy problems was strange, to say the least.

"It's nothing," I said dismissively, "Just a pretty rotten day in general."

"Well, I'll try not to add to it then," he smiled. "Here, how about this? You just relax here for a second, and I'll run down to the kitchens and get some food. That won't be so bad, right?"

"You know where the kitchens are?" I asked, impressed.

Cedric grinned. "Even prefects get hungry in the middle of the night, Potter."

I smiled and he exited the room. Okay, maybe sometimes I did appreciate the good guy.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

An hour later, Cedric and I were laughing, eating pumpkin pasties, drinking hot chocolate, and I was still failing horribly at the Summoning Spell.

"Shit!" I shouted loudly, taking another sip of hot chocolate while my textbook again wavered and fell to the floor. "You know, maybe if it was something I actually _wanted_ to summon…"

"Hmm, that could help," Cedric mused. "Like what?"

"Like Crabbe," I quipped, and the two of us burst into laughter again.

"I think he might crush you if you ever danced together," Cedric retorted. "You'd be swallowed up in his stomach fat, never to be seen again."

I cackled uncontrollably. "That is the meanest thing I have _ever_ heard you say about _anyone_!" I snickered.

"I know, and I feel terrible about that," he laughed, "But I can't quite see Crabbe being your type."

"Oh, I love all Slytherins," I said sarcastically. "What about you, Ceddy Teddy Bear? You fancy a Millicent Bulstrode or a Pansy Parkinson yourself?"

He laughed. "No, no…not exactly."

"Hmm, and what's your type, Mr. Big Shot Quidditch All-Star Heart Throb?"

He opened his mouth to protest, but I stopped him.

"Come on, Cedric, you've got to be aware that ninety percent of the female population is wild for you. So who do you fancy? Who's the lucky girl going to be?"

He almost seemed to blush as he hid behind his cup of hot chocolate. "Oh, I don't know," he said, after taking another drink. "She's got to be fun…smart…pretty, preferably. Someone who knows what she wants to do. Goal-oriented. Er…oh, and honest. Honesty is big one."

I frowned inwardly, reflecting on the real reason Cedric was sitting across from me.

"Anything else?" I asked, attempting to steer the conversation away from something that might make me feel even more guilty.

"I don't know. I'd like it if she didn't buy into all that…that stuff you were saying earlier. About me being some sort of hotshot, all-star type. I hate that."

I laughed a little. "Cedric, you really are a wonder," I said. "Well, here's to hoping you find her."

We clinked glasses, and drank again.

"Cedric?" I said, furrowing my brow and suddenly thinking about something.

"Yeah?" he asked, looking over at me.

"What would you do if someone…say Draco Malfoy, was verbally abusing a girl…any girl…in front of you?"

He frowned. "Am I in school, or out of school?"

I shrugged. "I dunno, either one."

He mused, and then said, "If I was in school, I'd send him to detention. If I was out of school, I'd kick his arse."

I sighed. "That's what I thought," I muttered.

"Jade, is something wrong?" he said seriously, looking over at me with those intensely dark eyes. "Are you witnessing something relating to Malfoy?"

"No," I said unconvincingly.

"Because if you are, you can report it to me, you know. And I can make sure it's taken care of."

"I haven't seen anything," I lied. "It was just a hypothetical question. To gauge someone's behavior."

He didn't look convinced, but he let it drop. "Well, it's been an hour," he said. "Do you want me to walk you back to Gryffindor Tower?"

I shook my head. "Nah, it's alright. But if I get lost, I'll come looking for you."

I smiled saucily, and he just shook his head, laughing.

"I'm enjoying tutoring you, Jade," he said rather candidly as he shouldered his bag. "You're something else."

I nodded sadly. "That's why I'm in detention so often."

He grinned and held the door open for me. "Until next time, Miss Potter," he smiled.

I laughed. "Good night, Cedric."


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Patil, and I were sitting at the breakfast table with Mione. The boys had been avoiding us since last night, and Brown had already dressed and left by the time we had woken up. Patil was puffy-eyed and yawning, having spent the good part of her night in the library finishing her extra credit Charms essay. I, on the other hand, had gone to bed straight after my tutoring session in order to avoid Fred and was quite alert. Alert enough, in fact, to observe that Cedric Diggory had moved from his usual location at the Hufflepuff table and was talking animatedly to Ravenclaw Cho Chang.

"Why is Cedric at the Ravenclaw table?" I asked in a would-be-casual voice. "He's talking to Cho Chang."

"I don't know," Alicia yawned, uninterested. She was spooning through her oatmeal and allowing it to fall back into the bowl. "Maybe he likes her?"

"Wouldn't _you_ be the one to know if he did?" I asked accusatorily. "I mean, _you're_ the one that likes him after all."

Ange and Alicia were both looking at me curiously now. Alicia raised an eyebrow.

"Jade," she said seriously. "I stare at the bloke from Gryffindor table at mealtimes. I ogle him during Quidditch. I stalk him in the hallways. What makes you think I talk to him? I don't know who he fancies. You're more likely to know than I am, you talk to him."

"He _did_ say he likes smart, nice girls…" I mused without realizing what I was sounding like. Cho suddenly laughed at something Cedric had said. He grinned broadly. "I wonder what he just told her…"

"Just for the record, you're off Cedric right?" Ange interrupted. "Because I thought you and Fred were…"

"Oh God," I exclaimed. "Oh God, I don't like him, are you crazy? I was just curious…you're weird, Ange…"

I laughed in an unnatural, high-pitched way and they both stared at me. Luckily, Hermione appeared to spare me from anything else incriminating that might have proceeded out of my mouth.

Hermione cleared her throat loudly behind me to signal her arrival. I jumped and turned my head.

"_What_?" I asked, annoyed.

She was standing with her arms folded across her chest, looking like she felt herself very important at the moment.

"Someone has something he wants to say to you," she said sternly, and moved out of the way to reveal Ron standing behind her.

"Er…hi, Jade," he said awkwardly.

My face fell. "Oh, it's you," I said coldly. "Hello."

I began to turn around to face my breakfast again, but he grabbed my shoulder.

"Jade, wait," he said seriously.

I regarded him as he fidgeted around and stuffed his hands deep into his pockets.

"I'm sorry," he said finally. "I'm so, so sorry."

All my anger faded away in an instant and I grinned, standing up to give him a hug.

"Thanks," was all I said, and I could feel him punching the air behind me.

"And _you_," Hermione continued angrily, now dragging Harry across the floor by his ear.

"Ow, ow, ow!" he exclaimed. "Bugger off, Mione, I'll say it!"

She deposited him in front of me as Ron and I ended our embrace.

"Sorry, Jade," he muttered, looking down at the floor.

I laughed. "Don't worry about it, Harry."

"And sorry to you, too, Mione," he added, observing the brunette who was staring up at him angrily. "Although I don't see why you're upset. You weren't even there…"

"Hmph!" she puffed, whirling back around.

George awkwardly sidled in next to Alicia and handed her an orange. "Good morning?" he said tentatively.

Fred laughed as both of us sat back down and slid up to the table. "Those two want each other so bad," he observed cheerfully. "It's only a matter of time."

"Mmm," I hummed, attempting to agree but feeling a little distracted by Fred's hand which was now resting on my knee.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As a result of some shrewd bargaining by Oliver, the Gryffindor team had managed to switch practice times with Ravenclaw for the rest of the week and I could now attend practice. As I had heard, the deal involved quite a bit of food and a pact of not jinxing the Ravenclaw's brooms before the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw match. Oliver additionally revealed after practice that Angelina would be accompanying Roger Davies to Hogsmeade that weekend.

Needless to say, if Quidditch doesn't work out for him, Oliver will be quite successful in running a prostitution ring.

After practice, Angelina, Alicia, Katie, and I were headed back to the locker rooms when Katie suddenly wailed, "Does Oliver think I'm the ugly one of the group? First Cedric and Jade, and now Roger and Angelina!"

"Do you _want_ to be pimped out?" Angie scowled. "I could kill him! If it was more than one date, I would!"

"And I was the one who implied that Cedric was interested in me in the first place," I pointed out. "There's no way he would have picked _me_ seduce him without help."

"Well I wish he would have picked _me,_" she pouted.

"Do you want me to tell him he's more interested in you now?" I asked excitedly. "Because I totally will, Kates, you'd be a lifesaver!"

"No!" she said, angered. "I'm not like you, I have principles!"

"But you just said you wish he would have picked you!"

"I just would have liked to have been _asked_ is all."

Angelina rolled her eyes. "Oi, Wood!" she shouted. "Do you think Katie's hot?"

Wood looked up from where he was packing up equipment. "Are you off your nut, Johnson?" he barked. "We do not talk about teammates in that manner!"

George rolled his eyes and laughed. "He thinks Katie's the hottest one out of you three! He told us in the showers once."

Wood turned an interesting shade of purple and began to chase George, who yelped and ran toward the locker rooms.

"Oi, Jadie! Watch this!" Fred shouted out of nowhere.

I turned around just in time to see Fred whack a Bludger at Oliver. It hit him in the stomach and knocked him over.

"WEASLEY!" Wood shouted between gasps for air. He then let out a string of obscenities which Fred gallantly ignored.

He ran up behind me and threw his arms over my shoulders, begging for a compliment.

"Very nice aim, dear," I said dryly, patting his head.

"I know, I'm a miracle really," he said stuffily in a very Percy-like manner.

"Where's your other half?" I asked, looking around.

"He was able to escape to the showers."

"You're a very kind brother," I remarked.

Angelina and Alicia exchanged glances and left to go into the locker room, leaving the pair of us alone. Fred released me and turned to face me.

He was grinning ear to ear, and I felt myself turn a slight shade of pink. I looked over to where Oliver was still struggling to regain his normal breathing pattern.

"Fred, Wood…" I said, pointing him out.

"So?" he asked. He reached out and tilted my chin up to his mouth. I was about to kiss him, when he stopped, placing a finger before his lips.

"Ah, ah, ah," he said mischievously. "Not until Saturday, you know that."

"Fred Weasley!" I shouted, embarrassed. I whacked him with my broomstick and he ran off, laughing.

"Astronomy tonight!" he shouted as he disappeared into the men's locker room. "I'll meet you outside McGonagall's and we'll walk up together!"

I rolled my eyes, but laughed, feeling quite contented with myself.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

Despite my previous habits, I showered after practice that evening. The girls gave me shrewd looks, but I ignored them.

"Don't want to be smelly for Cedric, do we?" Ange teased as I stalked off to the showers.

"Bugger off, Angelina!" I shouted. "That's _not_ why!"

Except it was why. For some reason, I did not like the thought of being around cool, composed Cedric while I was still dripping in sweat and probably smelling like an old trainer. I also did not like the fact that I had seen him with Cho that morning. I didn't _fancy_ him, surely, but I did mean to look out for his best interest—and Cho did not deserve Cedric. He needed someone who could make him…edgier. Someone like…oh, Angelina, for instance. Yes, Angelina and Cedric would make a decent pair. And Cedric would surely not listen to my advice while I did not look my best, right? Right.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Having showered and changed into a fresh uniform, I wandered back up to McGonagall's office and entered the room. This was the first time I had beaten Cedric there. I fidgeted because of this, and debated leaving and coming back in ten minutes. I did not want to appear overeager.

This turned out not to be an option, however, and Cedric entered the room before I could gather my stuff.

"Hi, Jade," he smiled. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was talking to Cho Chang about something. Wow, you're in your uniform. That's a first."

I blushed, self-conscious. "Uh, yeah…" I said uncomfortably. "Yeah, I have Astronomy after this, so…you know."

He nodded. "Right."

"Do you like Cho Chang?" I asked bluntly, watching him unload what he had brought for that evening.

He looked at me, caught off-guard and laughed. "What?" he asked.

"You know…" I continued, suddenly feeling very childish. "Do you like her? Like as in "I was late to come tutor you because I was asking Cho Chang to Hogsmeade this weekend'?"

He grinned. "No," he said slowly. "Anyway, I couldn't. I have detention duty this weekend."

"Detention duty?"

"Yeah, you know. I monitor the students I gave detention to this week."

"You give detention?" I laughed. "See, you are a _total_ Prefect."

"Only a few," he said defensively. "There were a lot of Slytherins teasing a first-year Ravenclaw about her glasses. I was there, I had to do something."

"Well aren't you just a hero?" I smirked. "Anyway, that's too bad. You could have been out with Cho…"

He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Yeah, maybe…" he trailed off.

I frowned, trying to play my cards right. Why this bothered me, I didn't know and I wasn't exploring my feelings further to find a cause.

"Well," I said lazily. "For what it's worth, I don't think you two would be a very good couple anyway."

"You don't?" he asked curiously.

"Nah," I said. "I see you with someone maybe a little bit less…you know…into the rules. Maybe like an awesome Gryffindor quidditch player that likes to laugh and mess around, and doesn't take herself too seriously."

"Really?" he asked, looking suddenly interested. "You really think so, Jade?"

I stared at him, confused by this sudden show of interest. "Yeah, definitely," I said. "Only you couldn't go with Angelina this weekend anyway, Wood's set her up with Davies to get their practice times for this week so I could join the team. It's totally messed up, but it's Wood you know?"

I began to laugh, but Cedric's face suddenly fell, and he looked flustered as he attempted to open his textbook to the right page.

"Oh, yeah, Angelina sure…" he said awkwardly. "Yeah, she's cool. Well, Wood will certainly do what it takes to put together a strong team, won't he? Maybe I should start setting Jessie Harmon up with opposing Quidditch captains…"

He smiled, and I raised an eyebrow.

"Like you'd do that," I scoffed. I couldn't picture Cedric stooping to set up his Chaser for tactical advantage.

"No, of course not," he grinned. "You know that. I wouldn't do that kind of stuff to get ahead in Quidditch, would you?"

"Godric, no!" I laughed in my falsetto style that was becoming far too frequent. "No, you know me!"

He regarded me curiously, smirking slightly. "Yeah…" he said. "Well hey, why don't we get down to work?"

"Alright," I agreed, relieved to be done with the conversation.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

"That's it!" Cedric cried, leaping up to join me. "Now just hold steady, Jade!"

I frowned slightly, staring at the old scuffed Snitch he had brought to practice with as it hovered in the air. "_Accio_!" I repeated.

The Snitch sailed toward me and I caught it triumphantly in my right hand.

"I did it!" I cried happily, raising my hand for a high five.

"That was great!" Cedric grinned, slapping my hand. "I _told_ you you could do it!"

"I blame you for holding me back for so long," I said matter-of-factly. "You should have brought something I liked earlier."

He laughed. "Yes, I'm definitely to blame for that," he replied without believing it. "Well, now that you've got the basic principles down, you can try summoning heavier things."

He pulled a Quaffle out of his bag and set it across the room.

"Okay," he said, walking back toward me. "The key with heavier stuff is that you've got to keep concentrated and keep your wand arm steady. Let's see."

I felt silly, but held my wand stance for him to see. "_Accio_!" I said, messing around. Unfortunately, the Quaffle raised and started to fly toward me before smacking Cedric in the back of the head. He fell to the floor.

"Ouch!" he moaned, rubbing the spot of contact. "Nice aim, Jade."

"I'm _so_ sorry," I apologized, rushing over. "I really wasn't expecting it to do anything!"

"I've been teaching you too well," he said gruffly as I reached out my hand and helped to pull him up.

"Wow, you're kind of a wimp," I teased playfully. "I really wasn't expecting Captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team to fall to the floor so easily."

"Yeah, and I wasn't expecting to be hit on the back of the head with a Quaffle with such full force," he said darkly.

"I'm _really_ sorry, Cedric. I am. I wasn't trying to take you out, I promise."

Cedric laughed finally. "It's okay, Jade," he said. "Alright, now as I was saying…"

He continued to mutter about wand placement and position as he came up behind me and held my arm in the proper place, speaking in my ear and moving his hand along my arm until at last he reached my hand.

"Now," he said. "You'll want to hold it like…that…"

A shiver went up and down my spine, and I turned to look at him. He was looking at me perhaps too intensely.

"Sorry," he said immediately, backing away. "You've got it, you're fine."

I stared at him curiously, when a sharp rap came at the door in an obnoxious pattern. It was most obviously Fred.

"It's Fred," I said, moving over the chair to pack my stuff into my bag. "He's coming to meet me for Astronomy."

"Oh," Cedric replied, looking a little surprised. "Are you two…?"

"No!" I lied quickly. _Godric, what was I doing_? "No, um…we're just friends."

"Oh," he said, brightening a little. "I was going to be surprised."

I looked up from what I was doing. "Why?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, I don't know," he said dismissively. "It's just that the Weasley twins don't seem to take anything seriously, and you're, well…you know…_you_. I just assume you'd be with someone who gave maybe a little more thought to things."

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Not that he's not great," Cedric continued, feeling a little embarrassed. "They're entertaining lads, I can see why you're friends with Fred…I'd just expect something differently romantically, you know…"

"Yeah," I said slowly. "Yeah, I guess."

I threw my backpack over my shoulder. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'm sorry, Jade," he apologized. "I didn't mean to slight you or your friends…"

"Oh, I know," I interrupted. "Yeah, I know…"

"Jade, is he _raping you _in there?" Fred shouted from outside the door. "Because I'll come in and—"

"Fred!" I shouted, throwing the door open. "I'm _right here_."

"Oh, good, that's all in order then," he said brightly. "Are you ready, Jadie? Scholastic endeavors await us!"

"Scholastic endeavors, my arse," I said, rolling my eyes. "See you later, Cedric."

"Yes, good evening to you, Mr. Diggory!" Fred called, looping his arm through mine and leading me down the corridor.

Cedric raised his hand in parting, his mouth lopsided.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

An hour later, as Fred snored on my shoulder, I looked out the tower window at the stars and wondered how much insight Cedric had into my life. And if he could have possibly been right about who I should _really_ be with. I was happy with Fred, wasn't I? Surely I was. I couldn't have been happier a week ago when I'd discovered he fancied me.

So then why did I suddenly feel that something was missing now?

Stupid Cedric for putting ridiculous thoughts into my head, and for forcing me to add yet another lie to the web of deception I was creating for myself.


	6. Chapter 6

I had forgotten that Thursday mornings meant I crossed Oliver on the stairs while he was headed up from Potions and I was headed down toward it. Consequently, this caught me off guard and left me an open target for him to prey on.

"Damn it, Oliver, _what_?" I asked testily as he grabbed my arm which was sore from practice yesterday and dragged me to a corner of the stairwell.

"_Well_?" he pressed, "How's it coming? You've only got tonight and tomorrow to get that playbook from Cedric before his time tutoring you is up."

"Oliver, I have a _month and half_ to get it from him because, unless you don't recall, that's when the match actually_ is_. I have a lot of time left! I'm just laying the foundation."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Laying the foundation?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yes," I said annoyed. "Because the art of seduction requires subtlety, something you wouldn't know much about."

"Oh, wouldn't I?" he said haughtily. "I teach you subtlety, Potter. You'd never catch the snitch if you blazed straight down the pitch by yourself like you did when you first joined the team. _Me_, not know subtlety. Ha!"

"You're right, Oliver, you're a real genius," I said, my voice heavy with sarcasm. "Now can I go to class?"

"And people say Quidditch isn't applicable!" Wood vindictively continued.

I rolled my eyes and began to head back down the stairs when he grabbed me by the shoulder. "Oh, Jade," he said, suddenly sounding embarrassed. "Katie didn't mention anything about…about what George said yesterday, right? About me thinking she was hot and spying on her in the shower."

"_No_," I said, disgusted. "But now that she's going to know you spy on her in the shower, she might have something to say about it. God, Oliver, George just said you said she was hot while _you_ were in the shower, not while she was and you were perving on her. Get on your game!"

"I didn't mean that!" he shouted loudly.

"Yeah, well, now that I've been thoroughly disgusted enough for today, I think I'm going to get to class."

And without waiting for an answer, I left him on the stairwell and continued to traipse down to the dungeons.

"Are you and Wood having an affair that Fred should know about?" Seamus teased as I made it to my seat right before the bell rang.

"No, he just wanted to make sure Katie didn't think he was a creep for staring at her while she showered," I drawled.

"What?" Harry exclaimed.

"Important as your personal lives doubtlessly are, I would prefer to begin class now," Snape said disdainfully as he strode up the aisle to the front of the class.

"It's been five years, and I still expect that man to turn into a bat every time he does that," Seamus casually remarked, reaching under the small table and taking hold of my hand.

I grinned.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

I was walking by myself to Charms after lunch as my friends chose to abandon me, spilling a bowl of chocolate pudding over my head, when I ran into Cedric.

"Hi Cedric," I said pleasantly as he approached me, smiling. This was the first time we had really talked outside of class.

"Hey, Jade," he answered. "How's it going? Managed to get the chocolate pudding all out of your hair, I see."

"Er, yeah," I said, embarrassed. "You saw that, huh?"

"Yeah," he admitted sheepishly, trying to fight back a smile. "Your friends seem like they love you."

"Oh, definitely," I answered playfully. "You should see what they throw over my head on my birthday."

At that moment, I saw Oliver walking down the hall. He noticed Cedric and I, grinned at me in what he clearly thought was a subtle manner, and stared expectantly.

Unable to think of anything smarter to do, I quickly pushed Cedric up against the window, rubbed my hips slightly into his, and began running my fingers through his short dark hair.

"Well, I've got to get to class now," I said, in the smoothest and sexiest voice I could manage. "But I'll see you later…Diggory."

I winked and released him, running my hand down his tie as I walked away.

His jaw dropped, and I could see him flush pink as he immediately reached up to fix his hair, a slight incredulous smile tugging on the corner of his mouth.

"Nice, Potter," Wood said approvingly, catching up to me. "You really convinced me you fancy him. And I think it's working, you should have seen his face!"

"Right," I said uncomfortably, exiting into the Charms classroom. _I really should not have had fun doing that._

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Oliver insisted that all of us work on our passing today, which was nice because it gave the girls and I time to talk. The twins were beating Bludgers toward one another at the opposite end of the pitch, and Wood and Harry were practicing flying techniques. My arm was still killing me from yesterday and my passes weren't up to par, so I made sure to time them whenever Wood was doing somersaults.

"I'm kind of grossed out that Wood perves on Katie," Angelina commented offhand. "I mean, we always figured that boy was asexual."

"Or got off on exceptionally executed Quidditch plays," I quipped, passing the Quaffle to Alicia.

"_You_'_re_ grossed out?" Katie said annoyed. "It's not you who he stares at in the shower!"

"If it makes you feel better, he'll go easier on you because he likes you," I joked.

"Look at the state of things, girls," Angelina observed as she caught the Quaffle from Alicia and again passed it to me. "Look what's happened—Jade fancies Fred, who fancies her back, but is _pretending_ to fancy Cedric because she lied to Oliver, who is making me go out with Roger Davies and who also apparently fancies Katie, while George fancies Alicia. What the hell happened here?"

"It's Jade's fault," Alicia said darkly, passing the Quaffle immediately back toward me.

"What?" I shouted. "How is this all my fault?"

"It's true," Ange said, doing a reverse pass to Katie. "If you hadn't have lied to everyone about fancying Cedric, Fred would have never have gotten jealous, Oliver would have never seen you with Cedric, and you wouldn't have had to lie to him. Consequently, Oliver would not be expecting you to seduce said Hufflepuff, you wouldn't have been in tutoring sessions with him, which means Oliver would have never had to have switched practice times with the Ravenclaws, which means I would never have had to go out with Davies! Additionally, if those two things hadn't have happened, Katie wouldn't have questioned her attractiveness and led Oliver to make his somewhat gruesome confession."

I gaped, open-mouthed, at her explanation. "That's not fair!" I shouted, unsure of how to explain things so that everything was not pinned on me. "It's not my fault _George_ fancies Alicia!"

They exchanged glances.

"Oh, alright," Alicia said tiredly. "We'll let you off the hook for that one."

"How are things coming with Cedric?" Ange asked, changing the subject. "Have you figured out a way to get Oliver off your back yet?"

"No," I sighed. "And I think I've actually made things worse. Last night, Cedric asked if Fred and I fancied each other, and I said no."

"What?" she asked confused. "Why?"

"I don't know," I groaned, passing the Quaffle to her. "It just…sort of came out. I don't know why, but I didn't want him to know that Fred and I might have a thing going."

"You and Fred _do_ have a thing going," Alicia reminded me. "You aren't starting to fancy _Cedric too_, now are you?"

"No!" I shouted, too quickly. "At least…I don't think so…"

"Oh Godric, Jade," Angelina cut in. "I know he's hot, but you can't let that happen! You have to tell him the truth about you and Fred! You're already in a big enough mess as it is!"

"I know!" I groaned. "You think I don't know that? Anyway, I doubt that I fancy him. He's just nice to me, that's all. And sometimes it's nice to be around someone whose knowledge of high culture doesn't come from comic books…"

I sighed, casting a glance at Fred who was currently having a sword fight with George and their Beater's bats.

"Highya!" he shouted triumphantly as he pinned George in the gut. George groaned and slowly rolled off of his broom.

"Damn you, Fred!" Alicia shrieked, pulling out her wand. "_Immobulus_!" George stopped, suspended in mid air. Alicia sped over and pulled George onto her broom.

"Practice is _over_!" she screamed. "All of you,_ down now_!"

"And that is why I'm worried about losing the captaincy to her next year," Angelina explained as she pulled the Quaffle under her arm and flew back down to the ground.

Even Oliver followed blindly.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I sighed as I pushed open the door to McGonagall's office, not wanting to admit to Cedric that I had lied to him about Fred and me. What I saw took me off guard, however.

"Hey, Cedric," I said slowly. "You're here earlier than usual."

The entire lesson was already out and set up, something that didn't usually happen until after I had gotten there.

"Er, yeah," he said, looking slightly embarrassed. "Well, I wanted us to have time to get through everything today, you know…we only have a couple of days left."

"I thought I was doing well," I questioned, slowly sliding my bag onto the back of my chair. "You think we're going to need the extra three minutes?"

"You are doing well," he said quickly. "I just…I don't know…"

"Cedric, what is it?" I smiled, as he hurried over to pull out my chair for me.

"Well, okay," he said embarrassed. "I was just hoping that if we finished early today, we might have extra time to talk. There was something I was sort of hoping to ask you."

"Oh," I said, smiling. "Well, okay."

We were into the lesson a half an hour later, and I was able to summon just about everything Cedric had brought when a quick move to summon something Cedric had banished to go flying across the room tweaked something in my sore arm.

"Owww," I moaned, sinking back down in my chair. "That wasn't such a good idea…"

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned. "Is something the matter with your arm?"

"It's just sore," I said dismissively. "Too much Quidditch practice and this morning Oliver nearly ripped it out of its socket…"

Cedric frowned, coming over toward me. "I always tell Wood he needs to take it easier on his team in our Captains' meetings," he said. "But I think he always assumes I'm trying to gain the advantage for my team."

"That sounds like Oliver all right," I grimaced as Cedric pressed a few spots in my upper arm.

"Well, it seems like you pulled a muscle," he finally said. "Do you want me to take you up to see Madame Pomfrey?"

"No," I groaned. "I hate the Hospital Wing. Every time I go up there, she complains about girls playing dangerous sports. I hate to see her vindicated."

He smiled, laughing a little. "Well alright then, Miss Independent," he said. "But the best thing you can do for yourself otherwise is to take a long hot bath and let it relax the muscles. Promise me you'll do that?"

"Um, okay," I shrugged. "The girls and I only have showers, but I guess I could do that instead."

"Oh that's right," Cedric said, "The dormitories don't have baths. Well hey, what if I give you the password to the Prefects' bathroom and you can go there?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You'd do that?" I asked curiously.

"Why not?"

"Because it's so…not in accordance with the rules," I laughed. "It just doesn't seem like something a bloke that hands out detentions to his fellow students would do."

He blushed a little. "Well, then let's just keep it a secret, shall we? I wouldn't want my image ruined…"

I grinned. "You're getting better with the jokes," I said, commending him. "So what's the password, oh devious one?"

"It's _flowers_, actually."

"flowers?" I asked.

"Yeah, Professor Snape chose it," he shrugged. "None of us are completely sure why, though."

"Well, Snape's a weird little bugger," I said dismissively. "I don't think anyone fully understands him."

Cedric laughed. "He's definitely different," he admitted. "Hey, how was Astronomy last night?"

"Oh," I said. "It was good. Yeah, I think I'd say it's my second favorite subject. I love the stars. Potions my best"

"Really?" he asked. "I think Potions my worst subject. I can never seem to remember all those movements and ingredients."

I laughed. "Well, true ," I said. "And by worst subject, I suppose you mean you got an 'E' instead of an 'O' in that OWL, am I right?"

He looked into a far corner of the room. "No…" he said slowly.

"That's what you mean," I finished for him. "But it's fine, I'm used to feeling like an idiot around you."

Cedric frowned. "I don't really make you feel that way, do I?" he asked.

"Only when you talk about your grades," I admitted. "But as you pointed out at the beginning of this week, you _are_ older than me."

He laughed. "Not too much, I hope."

I looked at him curiously. "What…?"

"Listen, Jade," he said, suddenly looking at me intensely. "The thing I wanted to ask you…I know I said I had to monitor detention Saturday, but I was wondering if afterward…"

He seemed to be struggling with how best to say whatever it was he wanted to say. "I was wondering if afterward…you might want to spend some more time with me."

He said that last part very fast. "I mean, I know it wouldn't be as fun as Hogsmeade, obviously," he continued. "But I was thinking since I have a key to the broomshed, we could play a little night Quidditch, and then go get some foods from the kitchens or something like that…"

My heart sank. "Oh, Cedric," I said sadly. "Cedric, I've already promised Fred I'd go to Hogsmeade with him on Saturday."

"Oh," he said, his face falling. "Oh, okay."

"I'm so sorry," I said, trying to meet his gaze. "I really am. I should have been more honest with you yesterday. Fred and I are sort of…at the beginning of something. I'm not sure what, exactly yet, but…he likes me and I like him. I would have told you, but you were going off and how you thought he wasn't the type of bloke I would fancy, and I got embarrassed, and I just…I really am sorry."

"Yeah," he said slowly, looking down at the floor. "Yeah, don't worry about it, Jade. It's fine. Well hey, I'm…um…I'm gonna go now, so you're free to leave whenever…"

"Okay," I said tentatively, watching as he gathered his things refusing to look at me. "I'll, er, see you tomorrow then, I guess?"

"Oh, actually don't worry about it," he said. "I'll tell McGonagall you're ready to pass it off. You've been doing great, and you really almost have perfected it. So you can just practice with your free time if you like, and you'll have it down flawlessly after a few tries."

"Alright….thanks, Cedric."

"No problem. Have a good night, Jade."

And, a little bit sadly, I exited the room for the first time that week without Cedric holding the door open for me.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..


	7. Chapter 7

Later that night, I was frowning as I soaked myself deep in the Prefects' tub. It was a singularly brilliant tub, the size almost of a swimming pool, with several golden faucets that poured forth the most exciting array of bubbles imaginable. Normally I hate baths; I get bored in them and I hate the feeling of the air thick with steam, but tonight I decided I needed a place to think as well as a place to soak my sore muscles.

I hated that I had disappointed Cedric. It tore at me in a way I didn't think was possible. I had always assumed that I cared nothing for the feelings of others and could execute a well timed prank with the twins, or enforce my will on others without it coming back and making me feel guilty. Indeed, I had never felt guilty turning down other blokes. But there was something about the way Cedric had looked at me that kept eating at my conscience; something that made me care that I had hurt him, and I couldn't figure out what it was.

I tried to reason that it was simply that I had been pretending to seduce him in order to convince Oliver that I was actually following through with his hare-brained scheme, and while that did make me feel slightly guilty, there was very little I felt I had purposely done that would have led to him asking me out tonight. The incident in the hallway earlier, sure; the fake flirting at the beginning of our acquaintanceship that was executed in front of Fred I could also admit to. But I knew that everything else _must_ have been a product of how I naturally acted around him, and that it really had been Jade Potter-not Jade Potter the Pawn of Oliver Wood-whom Cedric had come to admire. I felt terrible.

Did I really fancy him? I had been so convinced for the past five years that I had been at Hogwarts that I detested him, had sworn that I would fancy Draco Malfoy before I looked twice at Cedric Diggory. But that had been before I had really gotten to know him, and now I wasn't sure what I felt. In the short time I'd gotten to know him, I'd grown a conscience and done a little bit of maturing. In comparison with Cedric, Fred's antics seemed childish at best. I obviously still fancied Fred, but he was really much less of a _man_. Did I want someone that mature? Initially, I recoiled at the thought, but after some thinking, maybe Cedric _was_ what I wanted.

So I fancied him. I fancied Cedric Diggory. It was hard for me to believe, but instinctively, I knew it was true. I knew I could never do anything about it, however; it would complicate too many things with the current situation I was in with Oliver and with Fred. To protect him, and also to protect myself, I couldn't give way to my feelings and I couldn't do anything to further lead him on. It terribly depressed me, but I knew it was best. Even if I hadn't lied to Oliver and wasn't pursuing a relationship with Fred, there would be the Quidditch politics to consider that in all fairness wouldn't bother anyone but Wood, but would still be nearly impossible to overcome. I had to fight my feelings.

I sighed, hating the feelings I was experiencing, and pulled myself out of the bathtub. I threw on clothes, and hurried back to the Gryffindor Common Room before anyone could see where I had come from.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Why are you all wet?" Fred asked curiously as I joined my friends by the fire.

"Oh," I flushed, realizing that I had forgotten to come up with an excuse. "I, er, took a bath."

"Where?" he asked.

"Um, you know—the Prefects' private bathroom," I said as nonchalantly as possible while tying my dark wet hair up into a knot.

"What were you doing in _there_?" Fred asked, very suspicious now. George, Lee, and the girls were now listening.

"Um…Cormac gave me the password," I lied quickly. "Because he heard I hurt my shoulder and said that soaking it in the tub could help."

"Cormac hates you," Fred stated, raising an eyebrow. "You put her skirt on fire in our third year in Herbology because she complained about having you as a partner."

"We've reconciled," I said quickly, and sat down next to Fred, cuddling up to him to end the discussion.

"That doesn't sound like something Cormac would do," Alicia said stupidly. "That sounds more like something Ced—"

But her voice became muffled as Angelina threw her hand over her mouth and yelled, "What should I wear on my date with Roger Saturday?"

"Why do you care what you look like?" Lee said darkly, glaring into the fireplace. "Or do you fancy him back now?"

"She doesn't," Alicia teased. "Ange just wants to get some."

"That's not true!" Angelina scowled. "I was just trying to stop you from—"

But she too stopped as I glared at her significantly.

"Good news," I said to Fred to cover up the awkward moment. "Cedric says I'm doing the Summoning Spell well enough to not have to come back tomorrow."

He grinned. "That's excellent news," he said, putting his arm around me. "I was worried for a moment that you were going to begin to fancy him, what with all the time you were spending with him."

"Ha!" I said, laughing awkwardly. "That's a good one…"

I frowned as I curled farther into Fred, burying myself in his comforting scent of firecrackers and mince pies.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

"Miss Potter," Professor McGonagall said pleasingly at the beginning of class the next day. "Mr. Diggory said you were doing very well with the Summoning Spell, and that he was very impressed."

"He did?" I asked, putting down my quill and looking up at her.

"Yes, and I must say I'm pleased," she continued. "I rather expected to hear that you weren't taking it too seriously, but Mr. Diggory assured me that you were always on time and gave it your best effort."

"Did he say anything else, Professor?" I asked, still wanting to hear more about Cedric.

"Just that you were ready to have it passed off today," she said, now looking at me a little suspiciously. "No smart remark, Miss Potter? Addressing me as Professor? Are you feeling quite alright?"

She put a hand to my forehead. I sighed.

"I'm fine."

"Dude, Jade," Parviti hissed from across the aisle as McGonagall shrugged and walked away. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing," I lied, turning back to my work. "I'm fine."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

At lunch, I resolved to talk to Cedric and try to get him back on friendly terms. I was still planning on not pursuing him, but I at least had to let him know that I wasn't repulsed by him. Right?

I finished my food quickly, and hurried out of the Great Hall saying something about needing to use the restroom and pursued Cedric as he exited with his friends.

"Cedric!" I called, running up to him. He turned around, looking a little taken off guard to see me.

"Oh, hi Jade," he said, seeming to avoid my glance. "What is it?"

"Cedric, I need to talk to you." He looked a little unconvinced. "_Please_?" I added, as sincerely as possible.

"Alright then," he said nodding. "Guys, don't wait up for me, okay?"

"Come on," I said, leading the way as Cedric's friends departed. "Through here."

I parted a tapestry and turned a corner, entering into a secret passageway that Cedric looked surprised to see.

"How'd you know this was here?" he asked curiously.

"I'm friends with the twins," I said dismissively. "Cedric, look, about last night…"

"Jade, you don't need to say anything else," he said, shrugging. "You're busy. And you fancy Fred, I get it."

"I do," I admitted. "But it's not that big of a thing yet, and I was really hoping…I was really hoping that we could be friends. Please?"

He sighed, looking down at me with those dark, sincere eyes. "Okay," he finally said.

"Okay?"

"Okay," he shrugged. "I was just sort of wanting to be more than that…and I thought you might, too. But I guess you were just being friendly. I should have realized you would never like the Hufflepuff Prefect Cedric Diggory. I'm sorry I misinterpreted things."

This was killing me, but I resolved to stay strong. "Don't worry about it, please. I _do_ like you. And I want to be friends. I was wrong about you at first, I'll admit it. Please say we can be friends."

"We can be friends," he said half-heartedly. "But I've got to get to class now, Jade, and so do you."

Feeling rather sad but realizing that this was probably the best response I was going to get, I lifted the tapestry and exited to find my friends all staring back at me.

"Oh there you are, Jade," Alicia said. "We were looking all over…for you…" she slowed as Cedric emerged from the tapestry behind me. "Hi Cedric," she said, slightly breathlessly.

"Hey, Alicia," he said without much spirit. "Lee, George, Angelina, Katie…hi."

He stared at Fred with a slight tightening of his jaw, said nothing, and left down the hall.

We all stared after him.

"Jade, _what_ is going on?" Angelina whispered as she seized me by the arm and dragged me down the hall toward our next class. "I've never seen Cedric act that unfriendly to _anyone_. Why should he have a reason to be angry toward Fred? Did you tell him the truth about you two?"

"Yeah, I did," I admitted miserably. "And I think he's jealous. He wanted to know if I would hang out with him Saturday night, Angelina! I didn't know what to do! And now he's jealous of Fred…"

"Jade," she said slowly. "You don't' _like_ Diggory, do you?"

I bit my lip.

"Jade!" she said, a little too loudly. "You can't do that! You _know_ you can't do that!"

"I know, I know," I snapped. "I'm not doing anything about it. I just wanted to tell him we could only be friends, that's all."

"Well fuck me," she said, surprised. "This is a whole new mess now."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I was able to avoid most of Fred's questions about Cedric by saying that he was just curious if I had passed my test with McGonagall, though he seemed not to buy it completely. Oliver kept attempting to corner me to ask me what the next step in my plan to seduce Cedric was, and consequently I was feeling miserable by the time dinner was over.

"Jadie, are you alright?" Fred asked curiously as we walked back to Gryffindor Tower hand in hand. "You've been kinda quiet all day. You didn't even make a snarky comment to Wood when he criticized your passing at practice today. That's not like you."

"I dunno, Fred," I lied. "I think I'm in some kind of a funk. You know."

"A mood?" he questioned.

"Yeah, a mood I guess."

He grinned mischievously. "Well why don't we try to cheer you up?" he suggested. "You always like messing with Malfoy…why don't we try that?"

I smiled back, in spite of myself. "Okay," I agreed. "You're on."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A few hours later found Draco Malfoy's hair bubblegum pink, and Fred and I collapsed in laughter outside the library in a discreet part of the hallway.

"He's going to have one hell of a surprise when he wakes up!" Fred grinned.

"I know!" I laughed. "I think this is one of your best ideas yet, Mr. Weasley."

"Thank you," he said, bowing deeply.

I laughed again and then checked my watch. "It's one a.m.," I said. "We should get back to the Common Room before Percy or someone discovers us."

Fred rolled his eyes. "Forget Percy," he whispered, leaning in closer to me.

In a matter of a few seconds, Fred had cornered me against the wall, his hand on the small of my back pulling me tightly toward him. His left hand was in my hair, his thumb stroking my cheek. His face was just centimeters away.

"I thought you were waiting until Saturday to kiss me," I said breathlessly.

"Changed my mind," he whispered back before quickly pulling me even closer to him and enveloping me in his kiss.

Like everything Fred did, nothing was by halves, and he was an aggressive kisser. This suited my mood, however, and I pushed back, tangling my fingers in his shaggy ginger hair. His hands pressed against my back and pulled my hair. It was amazing, and I was so lost in this kiss that I failed to hear someone coming out of the library.

"Jade?" A voice said incredulously.

Fred immediately released me, and we turned to find Cedric staring at the pair of us, his jaw dropped and a rather angry look in his eyes.

"What are you doing?" he asked, an edge to his voice I had never heard before.

"She's kissing me, what does it look like, Diggory?" Fred said roughly when I couldn't speak.

"You're out of bed and engaging in excessive PDA, Jade," Cedric said dictatorially. "I'm going to have to give you detention for this."

"_What_?" I asked incredulously, breaking away from Fred and stepping forward angrily. "Cedric, _what_? I thought we were friends!"

"That doesn't mean I have to stop being a Prefect," he said coldly. "You have detention tomorrow at seven. You can meet me in the library, where I'll be supervising the rest of them."

"But that's ridiculous!"

"Don't take this out on her, Diggory," Fred said angrily. "I was the one kissing her, give me the detention!"

"Yeah!" I said, upset. "Why are you just giving me detention?"

"That's the way it is," he said stonily. "Weasley, five points from Gryffindor. Now go to bed, the both of you."

And with that he stormed down the hall.

"I was right about you!" I shouted in desperation, my voice echoing off the stone walls. He didn't respond however; he just continued to march away.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

"Slimy git," Fred said darkly as soon as we had gotten back into the Common Room. "He's worse than Percy! Who gives detention for that?"

"Did you see the way he looked at me?" I interrupted, still trying to catch my breath. "Like he didn't know or care who I was! Like I was just another student!"

"I can't believe this is messing up our Hogsmeade plans!" Fred continued. Neither of us seemed to be listening to the other. "I'm going to think of something to get him back, Jade, you'll see…I'll bust you out of detention, just wait."

"No, Fred, don't bother," I said miserably. "I don't want you in trouble too. We can go to Hogsmeade next weekend…I just _can't believe it_!"

"I'm going to the Hufflepuff Common Room right now," Fred said angrily. "I'll give that git a piece of my mind!"

"Fred, _don't_," I urged again. "There's nothing we can do about it now. We just have to go to bed."

"I suppose you're right," he said darkly. "Fine. But don't worry Jadie, we'll fix this."

He kissed me swiftly and retreated up to bed. I ran up my own set of stairs, angry tears stinging my eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

Ugh, this messed everything up, I thought angrily as I went to sleep. I could possibly tell Fred that I liked Cedric and he gave me detention because of he was probably jealous but who knows. I exhaled loudly I am in such a mess.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I woke up considerably later than usual on Saturday—even for me. Wood hunted me down later to scold me for missing dawn practice, but later congratulated me on finding a way to remain with Cedric.

"Spiffing job getting detention, Potter. Absolutely genius."

"He doesn't know _why_ I have detention, does he?" I later asked Fred skeptically, as we were sitting together on the couch in the Common Room.

"No," Fred answered darkly. "I'm not that thick."

I shrugged. "Just checking."

We were silent for a while more before I asked tentatively, "So are you going to go to Hogsmeade anyway? I mean, without me?"

"Of course," Fred answered nonchalantly. "Why wouldn't I? I've gotten a lovely 4th year to agree to accompany me."

I glared at him.

"Okay, okay," he said apologetically. "Now's not the time for jokes, I get it."

"You were upset last night," I said, rather ruefully.

"I thought you didn't want me to be upset." Fred sounded confused. "If you do, I'll beat the shit out of Diggory, no problem, but we might have to hold off on our date for a few months if I do that."

I laughed in spite of myself. "No, no," I dismissed. "I think I'd prefer your lame jokes."

"Good," he answered. "Because between you and me, I'm not sure I could take him."

He kissed me briefly on the lips before running off to meet George, who apparently had an idea for a new invention.

When was I going to tell him?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

At dinner I made a point of not facing the Hufflepuff table so that I could avoid seeing Cedric until I had to, but Fred, George, and Lee had no such scruples.

"Look at him," Fred said disgustedly. "Look at him just staring at her like that, the wanker."

"He probably wants to make sure you obey standards of public decency and refrain from defiling Jade before everyone's eyes, mate," Lee joked, but his grin disappeared as he noticed my glare.

"Aw, Jadie, don't be upset," George said playfully. "That dark brooding stare of his is actually kind of sexy once you get past the creepiness."

"Shut up!" I suddenly snapped. "All of you, would you please _shut the fuck up_? I'm sick of hearing about Cedric Diggory!"

"Whooooa," Lee said as most of the table turned their heads in my direction. "Fred, keep your bird in check, mate."

"I'm not his _bird_!" I yelled. "Why can't you all just leave me alone?"

And I angrily stomped out of the Great Hall amidst a lot of curiosity from the Gryffindor table.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Jade we need to talk," said Fred.

"No we don't Fred everything's fine," I muttered.

"No its not, so I'm only going to ask you once and tell me the truth this time Jade," Fred said, I looked up at him from where I was on the ground behind a tapestry.

"Do you or don't you fancy Diggory? Jade the truth please because I figured that our relationship isn't going to go anywhere, but if you do fancy him I could help you get back at him for giving you detention . Or we could always make him even more jealous," Fred paused to stare at me, "Jade its not fair what your doing to him or yourself both of you are going to get hurt this way and if your doing this because you don't want to hurt me I'll be fine. I could always go for Ange, right, or say Cho Chang."

I laughed, "You and Cho, Fred, you have got to be kidding me."

"Yeah well," Fred said also chuckling, but staring intensely at me waiting for my answer.

"I do, Fred I'm so sorry but I do," I said sadly.

"Well then, come on we have a lot of work to do," said Fred dragging me up.

"Wait. . .WHAT? What do you mean work. . .WEASLEY!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A few minutes later, we ended up in the room of requirement where Fred was going to help me get some.

"Fred why are we doing this, he already likes me." I asked.

"Hhhhmmmm, you have to wear you uniform. . .definitely a short skirt." He stopped to look at me, "Shorter than usual, okay next, when your doing your homework randomly twirl your tie or a strand of hair, I have a question."

"What?" I asked.

"Does, Diggory like your hair down because we could always curl it or have it up," Fred said tapping his chin in thought.

"Does it matter?" I asked angrily.

"I'm trying to help, oh wait you're mad at him, okay then ignore him sit in the last row flirt with the Slytherins after detention."

"I can't believe you said that." I said in disbelief.

"Me too, maybe flirting with the Slytherins was a bit to much."

"Ya think," I snorted.

"I'll walk you to detention, kiss you there and when I pick you up I'll kiss you."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

The big day had finally arrived not the quidditch game but my detention. Fred kept on reminding me the plan and kept on hitting me with his wand when I did something wrong.

Within a matter of minutes we were standing outside the library, having arrived at the same time as Draco Malfoy.

"Ugh," I groaned. "Not _you_."

"Hey, Potterl," he grinned, his lips curling. "Didn't know _you_ were coming tonight."

"What would you have done if you had?" Fred interjected nastily. "Put even more gel in your hair?"

Malfoy eyed Fred, but said nothing. Fred looked rather proud of himself, too, as Malfoy sauntered into the library. Fred grinned at me.

"Well?" he said expectantly.

"Nice, Fred," I said shortly.

He looked confused. "What? Jade, I _really _am not understanding you lately…first you say—"

"Don't worry about it," I cut him off. "I think I should probably go now anyway."

I started to enter the library when Cedric suddenly emerged through the door.

"Oh," he said, reminding me very much of Percy suddenly. "Miss Potter, you're on time. Good."

I stared at him angrily and Fred joined me.

"I'll come get you at eight, Jadie," he said pointedly. "Have fun with this git."

He leaned down to kiss me goodbye, but Cedric stopped him.

"Not now," he said, almost angrily. "She's mine for the next two hours, Weasley."

Cedric and Fred stared each other down for a few seconds before Fred gave him a disgusted look, and sauntered off.

Cedric turned around toward me, a completely different look on his face.

"Listen, Jade," he began, sounding extremely apologetic.

"Don't you mean _Miss Potter_?" I said disgustedly, pushing past him and finding a seat in the very back row.

"Jade, please let me explain," Cedric said, following me into the library. "It's not what you think, it's—"

"_Ooooh_," Draco Malfoy said obnoxiously. "Is Diggory making a play for Weasley's girl? Potter would probably take two at once, she's—"

"Shut _up_, Malfoy!" I shouted as Cedric instantly flushed red.

"Everyone, calm down!" Cedric shouted. "I want to be gone as much as you do, so let's just calm down. Unless you want me to report you to Snape, Malfoy."

Malfoy gave Cedric an ugly glare but he shut up. Cedric continued to look toward me with a pleading expression on his face, but I ignored him.

The two hours passed slowly. There were only a handful of us there, and the detention was meant to be a study hall. I finished my Astronomy homework, but there was little doubt in my mind that the other Slytherins who were accompanying me were spending their time drawing lewd pictures, or simply sleeping. I did not look up once, though I could often feel Cedric's eyes on me.

At eight o'clock, I handed Cedric a copy of my work stone-faced, and exited the library to go meet Fred.

Fred was not there waiting for me, however. I frowned and checked my wristwatch. It was certainly eight o'clock. I sighed, figuring he must be late, and slumped down against the wall to wait for him. The others presently appeared, Malfoy tailing the rest. He looked as though he wanted to say something provocative to me, but Cedric followed him out closely and fixed him with a stern glare, and Malfoy turned to follow the rest of the Slytherins.

"Um, Bye Zabini," I said waving flirtatiously.

"Bye Potter." Damn now I'm stuck here with Cedric. . .so okay my flirting definitely needs improvement.

Cedric turned his attention to me. "Waiting for someone?" he asked gently.

"You know damn well I'm waiting for someone," I snapped, checking my watch again. It was now ten minutes past eight.

It was quiet for a moment before he said, "I could walk you back if he doesn't show."

"Thanks, but I don't need a two-faced friend," I said coldly, dimly aware of the hypocrisy of what I was saying.

"Jade, _please_ let me explain," he pleaded. "I'm sorry, you shouldn't have had to have been here tonight. I never should have given you detention, I—"

"I know you shouldn't have given me detention!" I interrupted harshly. "Granger told me—you were barely covered for it!"

He opened his mouth and then closed it again. "That's true, and I—"

"I guess you were exactly who I thought you were after all," I said stonily, turning away from him.

He lingered for about five more minutes, sighed and then left, disappearing down the hall.

"Wanker," I muttered bitterly.

It was now eight thirty, and there was no sign of Fred.

"_Men_," I spat, picking myself up and heading toward Gryffindor Tower by myself. I tried to ignore the stinging in my eyes.

I was halfway to Gryffindor Tower when I decided that I deserved an evening snack, and turned around to head for the kitchens. I had just reached the portrait hole when Draco Malfoy appeared out of nowhere, leering at me.

"Well, well, well," he said, grinning "All alone at last! And neither of your devoted fans here to protect you."

"Oh, yeah Malfoy and where are your minions," I asked coolly.

Malfoy just smirked, "Look what I've just picked up—_Expelliarmus_!"

I gasped as the wand I had been fingering behind my back flew out of my hands and into Malfoy's.

"Hey!" I shouted, severely angry that Draco Malfoy had caught me off my guard. "Give that back, you little fucker!"

And I threw myself at him, clawing for my wand, but the brute was too strong for me. Malfoy shoved me up and against the wall, thrusting his tongue down my throat.

"Mmph!" I managed to get out, struggling against him. But I could not get free, he had my legs forced around him and my arms pinned against the wall.

"_Hey_!" an angry voice shouted behind us. Malfoy immediately dropped me, and I fell to the floor, breathing heavily. I looked up, expecting to see a professor, but instead it was Cedric. He appeared to have emerged from a little round door across the hall behind a tapestry I had never noticed before.

"Get away from her," he snarled, his wand out.

"Or what?" Malfoy said smugly. "You'll report me? For fancying a bit of a snog?"

"Oh, I'm reporting you," Cedric assured him, glaring intensely. "But if you'd like me to find your head of house right now, I can. Get out of here."

Malfoy dropped both wands, turned and ran, disappearing around the corner.

"Are you okay?" Cedric asked authoritatively, picking up my wand and handing it to me.

"I'm fine," I grumbled. "Just upset that Malfoy didn't stick around long enough for me to knee him where it hurts."

"You should know better than to hang around the kitchens at night if you want to avoid Malfoy," he continued seriously, pulling me up.

"Yeah, I know," I said, amazed at Cedric's surprisingly serious attitude. "Listen, Cedric…"

"Don't worry about it," he said dismissively. "Just get back up to Gryffindor Tower, okay?"

"Okay," I answered, dazed. "Cedric, _thank you_, I-"

"Good night, Jade."

I stared at him, completely confused, as he headed back to what I imagined to be the Hufflepuff dormitories.

"Cedric—" I tried again.

But he simply disappeared behind the tapestry.

I frowned, staring at the place where he had gone when a new voice brought me back to attention.

"Jade, _there _you are! I've been looking all over for you!"

I turned back around to face Fred coolly. "You're half an hour late," I said, crossing my arms.

"I'm sorry," he apologized dismissively. "But George and I found this _amazing_—well, I can't exactly tell you as it's for one of our inventions. But Jade, it's going to be _great_. What are you doing down here anyway?"

"Fancied a bit of a snack," I said, shrugging.

"Oh, well, no need to worry about that," he said, slipping his arm around my waist and directing me down the hall. "I've brought you lots of sweets."

"I'm not going to turn into a canary, am I?" I asked dully.

"Of course not," he answered. "How was detention? Anything of note?"

I considered telling Fred about the incident, but discarded it almost immediately. "No," I said. "No, nothing really. What about Hogsmeade?"

"Angelina had an interesting time with Davies," Fred said. "But I'll let her tell you about that. Lee got a new pack of Exploding Snap, they're just waiting for us to start—"

And Fred continued with various other details about the Hogsmeade trip that weren't being especially listened to. My mind was elsewhere—in the Hufflepuff Common Room.


	9. Chapter 9

I couldn't help myself I kept on looking at the Hufflepuff table to stare at him. Fred noticed and figured something must have happened but he didn't push. Unlike some people, _cough Granger and Patil cough_.

"Jade what happened?" asked Parviti being the concerned friend that she was.

"Yeah, I mean your staring at him with big goo-goo eyes." Said Hermione.

"Nothing, just never mind, how was Hogsmeade." I asked.

I shifted a little as Draco Malfoy passed by our table, glaring at me bitterly. All of a sudden, there was a clutter of dishes and the sound of chairs scraping against the floor when over at the Hufflepuff table, Cedric stood up abruptly. His eyes locked with Malfoy 's and he glared as Malfoy rolled his eyes, laughed awkwardly, and slinked off to the Slytherin table. My mouth opened a little.

Hermione and Parviti eyes grew in curiosity. Uh oh, I stood up and they pushed me down in my seat.

"What the bloody hell, just happened?" Hissed Hermione not wanting to attract attention.

I sighed and reluctantly began to tell them about my run-in with Malfoy. Their faces changed from surprise to disgust to surprise again, and then I thought Parviti might faint.

"Oh, my God!" she gushed, clutching at her chest. "I mean, oh, my God! Jade …you've, like, lived my daydreams!"

"You daydream about Malfoy shoving his tongue down your throat?" I asked cynically, raising one eyebrow.

"No! Godric, could you just quit being…you know…_you_ for a second and think about this?"

"I have," I admitted, sighing. "And I know it's wonderful and amazing and all that, but I wish he didn't hate me. Now do you understand why I feel so guilty about not accepting his apology?"

Parviti waved her hand. "Rubbish," she said dismissively. "He's probably just embarrassed you yelled at him! I've experienced righteous Jade rage, and trust me—it's not pleasant."

I frowned. "But he won't talk to me," I said, somewhat pouting. "I want him to talk to me."

Parviti shrugged. "So just…be friendly to him and let him see you're not mad. He'll come around."

" Jade," Angelina interrupted. "Does Fred know what happened last night?"

Parviti and I both fell silent. I frowned slightly. I could tell him.

"No," I answered finally.

"He'd totally flip if he knew what Malfoy did," Parviti said fervently. Hermione nodded.

"I know," I said, somewhat defensively. "Why do you think I didn't tell him?"

"Because you didn't want him to find out Cedric was the one who saved you," Hermione quipped.

I glared darkly at her, that wasn't it Fred could care less about that. "_Or_," I said edgily, "I didn't want him beating the shit out of Malfoy and getting thrown out of Hogwarts."

"Well, that too," Parviti said stupidly.

"Are you going to try to talk to him?" Hermione asked.

"Who?"

"Cedric, moron," she returned. "Or are you just going to keep hiding here?"

"I'm going to keep hiding here," I answered confidently.

"Right," she said. "That's it."

Hermione shoved herself backward from the table, stood up, and strode over to where Cedric was sitting. She shoved her way in next to him and began to talk, glancing frequently over at me.

"What the hell is she doing?" I gasped, watching her progress in the conversation as Cedric alternately looked taken aback and contemplative.

Parviti shrugged. "How should I know?" she asked. "It's Hermione. No one ever knows what she's doing."

"Hermione's crazy," muttered Lavender randomly.

At that moment, the quidditch team arrived tousle-headed and looking worn out. This prevented me from harassing Hermione when she returned, but I did eye her shrewdly.

Fred roughly attacked my left temple with a kiss that caused me to be shoved backward. Then winked and nodded at Cedric.

"Hey, Jadie," he said cheerily.

"Morning," I grumbled, returning to my breakfast.

"What's the matter?" he asked cheekily. "Too much enthusiasm?"

"I thought you'd be tired from extra practice with Oliver," I answered dryly.

He grinned. "You know me so little, love." Every so often he would quickly glance at Cedric to see his reaction.

He grabbed my hand underneath the table and began making a stupid joke with George. I sighed, trying to keep myself in check. I chanced one glance toward the Hufflepuff table; I caught Cedric's glance, but he immediately broke it and looked downward. I propped my head up with my remaining hand and stared into my bowl of oatmeal.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

"What did you tell him," I asked Hermione when I joined her and Ginny in the library. Parviti was off with Lavender gossiping in some bathroom and Harry and Ron were playing chess in the common room.

Hermione raised her eyebrows and then said sarcastically, "I'm afraid I don't have the privilege of understanding you. Are you referring to Cedric, or one of the many other males in this school."

What did you say?" I continued to press.

Hermione shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, I don't know," she said. "Just that it was obvious that you two fancied each other and that he shouldn't let a little thing like you yelling at him deter him from pursuing you."

I yelped. "You _didn_'_t_!" I cried, in my harshest whisper.

"I sure did," she grinned.

"How could you do that?" I moaned. "Now he'll know I fancy him, he'll freak out, and he'll never speak to me again!"

Again, she just shrugged.

"Well, what did he _say_?" I finally said impatiently.

Hermione rolled her eyes again and set down her book. "Nothing," she said sharply. "He just kind of looked at the table all seriously and nodded a few times and then said 'Okay' when I finished. And then I left."

"Do you have any idea what you've done, now all of Fred and my work has gone to waste and he's never gonna talk to me." I moaned. I let out a stream of curses.

"_Miss Potter_," said Madame Pince.

"Ugh, I know, I know I'm going," I said picking up my things.

" Jade where are you going we have to work on our Charms essay," Hermione hissed.

"Out," I snapped. I turned around and stormed through one of the hallways filled with dusty old books that no one has read in eleven centuries when I ran straight into Cedric. Of course. Just my luck.

"Jade," he said surprised, as I practically bounced off of him and everything I was holding went flying.

"S-sorry," I stammered, frozen to the spot. I stared, unmoving, as he bent down to collect my things.

"That's okay," he said, flushing slightly at the cheeks as he looked back up at me, our eyes locking.

"Um," I said, uncertain of how to break the ice. "Well, thanks."

"Yeah," he said, slowly standing back up and helping me to slide my bag back onto my shoulder. "It's not a problem."

We looked at each other for a few more seconds before I ducked out and uttered a barely audible, "Bye."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

Transfiguration was going awfully well. Seamus and I were flicking bits of parchment at Ron. I had kind of drifted away from him in the past weeks.

Then McGonagall made the dreaded announcement.

"Tomorrow," she said, adjusting her glasses, which were perched almost at the end of her nose, "you will be meeting with me to discuss your future plans in relation to your career. This will help you decide which OWLs to focus most of your attention to, and give you some kind of idea of what the rest of your Hogwarts career will consist of. Any questions?"

I groaned loudly.

"Why do we have to do this now, OWLs are in 3 years," said Dean.

"Mr. Thomas, you need a career, and studying know will help you better prepare."

I knew what I was going to be; a healer.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

Somehow Fred had gotten detention and I offered to walk him like he did to me earlier. As I was walking back I saw him.. Showing up right on cue, like I had mentally summoned him. I stopped short when I saw him.

"Hey, Cedric," I said in would-be-casual voice and shouldering my bag. It was an attempt to restore things to how they had previously been. Also, I figured if I acted aloof, that he might disregard what Angelina had said Sunday morning. I wondered if he believed it…

"Jade, can I talk to you?" he asked, looking slightly troubled.

"Alright," I responded, still attempting to act cool.

"Are you walking this way?" he asked, pointing in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

"Yeah, I'm in Gryffindor," I answered. "I suppose you want to walk me down and protect me from Sirius Black?"

"_No_," he said slowly. "Just wanted to talk to you. Is that okay?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Were you out _looking _for me?"

He opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

"Stalker," I accused pointedly.

He frowned, looking down at me impatiently in that way he does when he thinks I'm behaving like a grouchy child.

"Okay," I said apologetically. "Come on, then. What's up?"

"I, er, um," he looked uncomfortable, and unsure how to begin. "How was your day?" he finally settled.

I shrugged. "It was alright," I mused. "Quidditch practice was good…Wood told me to calm down, which was a new experience."

Cedric laughed a little.

"And then classes were good…" I continued on. "Oh, except tomorrow I have to meet with McGonagall and tell her what I want to do with the rest of my life so she can help me choose classes."

I frowned slightly as I considered this project.

"That meeting's not too bad," Cedric answered, apparently trying to be helpful. "Seriously, you shouldn't be worried about it."

"But I'm not sure if I'll make a good healer," I said hopelessly.

"That's okay, Jade," he said reassuringly. "You're young. There were many people in my year that went to that meeting weren't positive. You just sit and talk over your options."

"Yeah, but that wasn't you, was it?" I scoffed. "You probably already had your basic ten-year plan laid out."

He colored.

"What _do_ you want to do?" I asked curiously.

"International wizarding diplomacy," he answered without missing a beat.

I raised my eyebrows. "Impressive," I answered. "Well, your massive amount of brains will be put to good use, then."

"I'm not that smart," he said uncomfortably. "I just happen to know what I want to do. You'll know soon enough."

I shrugged. "I guess…" I trailed off.

It was quiet for a while before I asked, "So is this why you came to try and find me? To ask me how my day was?"

Cedric looked at the floor. "No," he said in a low voice. "I wanted to—well, to apologize. For giving you detention, I mean. It was really uncalled for and I acted like a git."

"You did," I agreed readily. "But then you made up for it by saving me. So thanks for that. Not that I couldn't have handled Flint myself, you know."

He grinned slightly. "I'm sure you could have," he answered. "But that was just in case."

I grinned back at him. We had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Um, Jade?" Cedric asked, already flushing. The color brought out the chocolate luster of his dark eyes.

"Yeah?" I asked, feeling a little out of breath.

"I was thinking…well, I have a lot of Potions homework built up and I have to get a lot of it done Friday night. I was just wondering if you had any, and maybe we could do it together. Since you love it so much, you know. You might teach me some tricks, or something?"

I grinned unabashedly at this. Cedric looked at the floor.

"Why so embarrassed, hot shot?" I teased. "You can't possibly be afraid of asking a younger girl like me on a date, can you?"

"Oh, it's not a date," he disclaimed immediately, looking intensely embarrassed. "I mean, I wouldn't want Fred to—it's not a date."

I continued to smirk. "Fred's not my boyfriend, Cedric," I informed him. "And yes. I'd love to. I have a potions essay to do myself."

"Great," he said, a warm grin spreading across his handsome face. "And—and you forgive me, right? F-for the detention, I mean? We can put it behind us?"

"Alright," I replied, giving the password and turning to look at him one more time before I disappeared into the Common Room. "But only because you stammered."


	10. Chapter 10

He _asked you out_?" Parviti hissed over the top of our bubbling cauldron in Potions class the next morning.

"Shh!" I commanded, my eyes narrowing. "I told you that in confidence!"

I had chosen Parviti as my confidante over Hermione because I knew that if I let Hermione know what had transpired between Cedric and myself, I would get a criticism instead of seasoned advice. Also, Parviti was my cauldron partner and Potions was our first class of the day that morning.

"Sorry," Parviti said dismissively. "But what did you really say yes?"

"It's not technically a date," I pointed out, carefully measuring the belladonna before I poured it into the boiling contents below. "We're just doing homework together. And I'm helping him out a little. Like how he helped me last week when he was tutoring me. It's like that."

"Oh, you mean when you two were falling in love with each other under the pretense of studying the Summoning Spell?" Parviti queried, her eyebrows raised skeptically.

I rolled my eyes in derision but was unable to help slightly blushing. "No," I said strongly. "I don't see why it's a big deal, Parviti."

"Oh, so then Fred knows about it," she said skillfully.

"Well…yeah."

"Quit going all self-righteous on me," I frowned. "This is partially Hermione's fault, you know. If she hadn't have waltzed over to his table yesterday and told him I was in love with him, this wouldn't really be a problem. We would just go on ignoring each other as usual."

"I know, Jadie, but she did that because she just want _you_ to be happy," she said seriously, trying to catch my gaze which I had determinedly fixed elsewhere. "But I want you to be happy in the right way. Quit all the lying and deception. Tell Oliver straight up that you're not going along with his little plan, and that if he tries to kick you off the team you'll report him to McGonagall. Then tell Fred and Cedric the truth, so that neither of them is in the dark. You can't keep going on like this, Jade, and you know it."

"I will, Parviti, just not yet, I'm scared," I said.

"You're not!" she pressed. "Jade, you're not. Please—"

"Miss Patil, Miss Potter," Snape said lazily without looking up from his desk. "Please keep your voices down to a dull roar. We don't all need to hear your gossip."

I pursed my lips and shook my head at her. "We're done with this conversation," I hissed.

"Hey, Jadie Jade!" Seamus shouted from his nearby cauldron. "Look!"

Seamus was holding up his ladle, a flatworm dangling off the end with two newt's eyes bulging off the end. It looked extremely comical.

"Nice, Seamus," I said, rolling my eyes, but grinning.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Mr. Finnigan," Snape drawled, again not removing his eyes from whatever book he was reading. "Please restrain yourself from playing with the ingredients, or I won't admit you into my NEWTs Potions class no matter how well you score."

Seamus shrugged merrily and flicked the worm toward Parviti, who glared at him.

"McGonagall will be very impressed with your skills, I'm sure," she said sternly. "Your appointment this afternoon is going to go over _extremely_ well."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Oh cheer up, old bird," Fred said, grinning at my glum face and tossing an arm around my shoulder. "It's not as bad as you think. McGonagall already knows you're a brilliant student!"

"Now, Fred, that's not entirely fair," Lee said sternly, joining us at the lunch table. "Jadie is good at lots of things. She's great at potions, and Herbology, for example."

"Or Arithmacy," George chimed in.

"Pipe down, you lot," Alicia snapped as I glared at the three of them. "I think it's great that Jade's keeping her options open. It shows she's opening up to new possibilities. Unlike you three whose horizons are as broad as a toothpick."

"I'm sorry, Alicia," George said automatically, passing her the bowl of dinner rolls as she sat down beside him. She rolled her eyes, but accepted them. Fred and Lee just scoffed.

"He's a little pansy whenever he's around her," Fred commented as we both sat down across the table. "It's no fun."

I just hummed distractedly.

"What?" he asked, confused. Then his face registered. "Oh come on, Jade, you're not actually nervous about this thing, are you?"

"Of course I am!" I exploded. "My whole life I've been a brilliant student, and I've always seemed like I know what I'm gonna do in the future.…but all these years have passed and I _still _don't have a plan! And tonight I've got to admit that! To McGonagall! I'd be good at anything but which one do I want to do?"

"Okay, okay, calm down," Fred hushed me, looking over my head at all the people who had stopped eating lunch to stare at me. "We'll fix it, alright?"

"How?" I asked sardonically. "This isn't going to be like the time you hit me with a Bludger when I said I didn't want to take the Potions exam, is it? Because I don't want another concussion, Fred…"

He waved his hand dismissively. "Don't get all touchy. And besides, that _worked_."

I glared at him.

"Fine," he said. "But that wasn't what I had in mind anyway."

"Well, what was?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Two hours later, Fred, George, Lee, and I stumbled out of the doorway of the Three Broomsticks.

"And stay out!" the bartender called. "Miss, you're never to come back here! And I mean it! I've taken your photograph, and I intend to enforce it!"

"BYE!" I slurred, waggling my fingers at him from where I sat on Fred's shoulders.

I was slightly drunk.

"Oh, my head hurts!"

"Who knew you could drink that much, eh Jade?" Fred called up to me, sounding rather impressed.

"I…_drink like a fish!_" I shouted, yelling this last part very quickly and indistinctly. "Woohoo!" I punched the air, lost balance, and fell off of Fred's shoulders onto Lee, who caught me quickly.

"Hiiiiiii, Lee," I greeted, wobbling slightly as I attempted to stand. I grinned at him through hazy eyes. "I wanna throw up on you later."

"Alright," he said, sounding slightly disgusted.

"Jade, I must say," George said bemusedly. "You can really hold your liquor."

"I _know_!" I shouted, running up to him and yelling in his face. "Wanna know a secret. . .say please and I'll you a secret."

I twirled off, tripped, and landed in some bushes.

Fred carried me the rest of the way back to the castle.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Open!" I shouted at a random door. "Open!"

"Jade, I gonna give you a hint, try the handle," said Fred. "Fine, be that way _Alorma _why isn't it working. WAIT! Maybe it was _Alhorma_. . ._Alhormajaba_," on the last one the door turned pink. The boys were cracking up. When Mrs. Norris came.

"Awe, man, we'll get caught for skiving," panicked Lee. They ran off leaving me behind. I was now the grouchy, moody, sad drunk and was talking to a statue saying how I hated being in love. The door suddenly opened.

"What's going on, we're trying to have class but. . .is the door PINK!"

"Hey!" I said, feeling rather admiring. "You got the door open! I thought I did, but _you_ did. You're so smart!"

Cedric raised an eyebrow at me, looking both ways down the hall, and then crossed it.

"Are you…" he paused to examine me. "…drunk?"

"NO!" I disclaimed immediately, giggling furiously. "Okay. Maybe…just a little tinsy eetie bit drunk."

"Jade, what—?"

"You see," I interrupted, using his shoulder to help myself stand up. I rocked back and forth a little. "I was a little nervous about—you know—my appointment with McGonagall, so the lads took me out for a little bit of…"

I gaped down the hallway, and then hissed in my lowest voice, "_Firewhisky_."

"Ah," he said, nodding cautiously. "Well, Jade, I, er. . .um…I don't think this is going to go over well with McGonagall. You being drunk and all."

I gasped. "I'm _drunk!_" I whispered, "noo," I sobbed. "I never got drunk in my life, Rose was all like aww my daughter doesn't drink ,smoke, or do drugs, she's a vegetarian."

"It's okay," he said, taking me by the shoulders. "It's okay, we're going to fix this. Listen, I'll skip the rest of Charms and we'll take you back to my dorm and get you some tea. And you can rest a bit, and I'll go to McGonagall and let her know you're sick and that we'll have to reschedule your appointment. How does that sound?"

"I get to see where you live!" I squealed. His face cracked into a half smile.

"Alright, come on, Jadie," he said, swooping down to carry me down the hall. He probably saw that I wasn't steady on my feet.

"Can I ride on your shoulders?" I asked.

"Maybe later," he smiled, amused.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Hufflepuff Common Room was round and bright. Black and yellow rugs and poufs dotted the floor and the fireplace was shaped like a badger, its teeth being the grate. Cedric led me down one of many tunnels that branched out of the Common Room and into his own dorm room. There were four beds, each with golden drapes. Cedric sat me down on the nearest one.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, gazing at me intently.

"You have pretty eyes," I answered, laying down on his bed and curling up into a ball.

He smiled at me, one corner of his mouth raised.

"Thanks," he said. "Okay, I'm going to be right back, alright? I'm just going to run and get you some tea and go see McGonagall. I'm not leaving, I'm coming right back."

"Cedric, I'm drunk, I'm not two years old," I drawled, drawing up a pillow to my chest.

He laughed. "And you've still got your sarcasm. Wonderful."

While Cedric was gone, I looked around at his dorm from where I lay curled up on his bed. There was a picture of himself with who I guessed to be his father on his nightstand, and one of his quidditch team taped to his dresser. His school books were neatly lined up on his desk, and what looked like a Potions essay was lying out, ink still glistening.

"Such a neat freak," I murmured to myself. "Figures."

I was admiring Cedric's smile in the picture on the nightstand when the original returned.

"I wasn't sure if you liked lemon in your tea, so I brought you some on the side and you can decide whether or not you want to put it in," he explained, setting the cup and saucer on his nightstand next to me. He brought over the chair from his desk and sat down.

"That was quick," I remarked, still slurring my words slightly.

"The kitchens are right across from our dorms," he explained. "If you remember."

"I do," I yawned. "That must be why you lot are just a bunch of fat doffers. Proximity to the kitchens."

Cedric laughed. "I'll try to forget you said that."

"Cedric?" I asked, furrowing my brow as I drank my tea.

"Yes, Jade?"

"Will you…I mean, would you mind," I bit my lip. "It's just that I'm tired. And I don't want to move. Would you mind talking to me until I go to sleep? I don't want to pass out on your bed. I just want you to make sure I'm actually sleeping, not doing anything embarrassing."

He laughed a little. "Sure thing," he said. "Um…what do you want me to say?"

"Dunno," I answered, wriggling up into a tighter ball. "Anything. Tell me about your life. Your childhood. Anything."

He shrugged. "Well, okay," he began. "Let's see. Well, I was actually born in Wales. My mum was a Muggleborn, and I grew up kind of torn between the two worlds. I could never decide whether I liked soccer or quidditch better, and—"

I smiled to myself, letting Cedric's voice relax me as I drifted off to sleep.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

I wasn't sure how much later it was when I woke up, but the room was still empty except for Cedric and me. He was sleeping, his head propped up by his elbow, which was resting on his nightstand. I smiled. He was so adorable that I didn't want to wake him up. Besides, I most certainly didn't want a continuation of the whole embarrassing ordeal.

I slipped off of his bed silently and gathered my cloak which had come off at some point or another.

"Thanks, Cedric," I whispered, glancing at him one more time before I slipped silently out of his room.

I wanted to pass through the Common Room as quickly and as inconspicuously as possible, and I was almost to the exit when two girls stopped me.

"Jade Potter," one said patronizingly.

I frowned, and turned to face the pair of them. I didn't know either of their names, but I recognized them as seventh years.

"Hi," I said blankly.

"You're too young for him, you know," the other said. "Cedric, I mean."

I frowned. "Do I _know_ either of you?"

They both laughed. "Just like a Gryffindor, not to pay attention to the rest of the world."

I rolled my eyes. "What do you want?"

The first one shrugged. "Just letting you know—you're too young. Too immature. Cedric can do better than you. I wouldn't get my hopes up."

"What do you know?" I asked angrily. "He's a sixth year, I'm in third. Three years, big deal."

"Maybe," said the second. "But don't you think he's _slightly_ above you in that way? I mean, you hang around the Weasley twins. Not exactly mature."

"Lay off the Weasley twins," I said defensively. "And what do you care? You're seventh years. Aren't you too _old_ for him?"

They exchanged glances. "Honey, Cedric is mature beyond his years," one answered. "We're what he needs. Not you."

I laughed. "Yeah, whatever," I scoffed. "Sounds to me like you're the immature ones. Thanks for the advice, girls. I'll shove it the same place you two can shove your heads."

And laughing, I departed the Common Room. Then I changed my mind and bit my lips. People were already starting to talk.


	11. Chapter 11

I stumbled into the Common Room a few minutes later, vigorously rubbing my temples. My head was pounding. I just needed to eat and to lie down in my own bed. Maybe I could get Parviti to sneak down to the kitchens and get me some fruit and a bun.

Unfortunately, as soon as I stepped through the portrait hole, Fred assaulted me.

"Jade, where the _hell_ have you been?" he shouted, rushing up to me and taking hold of my elbow and my waist. "George and I have been looking for you for hours!"

"Not to mention the fact that you missed class," Alicia said sternly from where she sat on the couch with George. _Were they holding hands?_

Fred walked me to the couch where he sat me down. "Filch didn't catch you, did he?" he asked earnestly.

"I'm afraid I don't recall," I said coolly. "After all, you left me drunk and alone in the hallway. Anything could have happened to me."

"We thought you were right behind us," George argued in defense of his brother who looked flabbergasted.

"Jade, I swear we did, or else we never would have run off like that," Fred said quickly. "We'd _never _leave you behind."

"But you did," I replied grimacing.

Everyone remained quiet for a few minutes until I commenced speaking.

"But for the record, Filch did not catch me," I stated, breaking the silence. "Cedric saved me."

"Diggory?" Fred said, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Nice, well looks like, your good with him, huh."

Fred scowled. "Didn't I just tell you that I've spent the past four hours searching the entire castle for you? I've been worried to death, ask George!"

"He has," George said, nodding fervently.

I rolled my eyes and stood up. "I don't care," I replied. "I'm going to lie down, I don't feel like talking right now…_Hermione_" I added, hissing at her as I was about to ascend the staircase.

"Oh," she said, getting up quickly. "Sorry." And she followed me up the stairs.

"What are is with Ron and Harry?" I said as soon as she closed the door, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Maybe because you never asked," she almost snapped. "A lot of stuff has been about you lately, Jade."

I sighed, knowing this was too true for argument. "Well anyway, Oliver is gonna flip out," I said, laying down on my bed and curling into a ball.

"Oliver knows, and he doesn't care," Alicia replied.

"What?" I asked, shocked. "Since when does Oliver not care about intra-team fraternization?"

"Probably since you offered to prostitute yourself for Cedric Diggory's supposed secret playbook."

I groaned. "Hermione…" I trailed off. "What have I done? I'm ruining my friendships, my relationship with Fred, and now the Quidditch team…what's next?"

"Clearly your academic life," she answered. "I don't know what you're going to tell McGonagall."

"Cedric cleared that up for me," I sighed. "My appointment's been rescheduled for Thursday."

"Jade," Hermione said gently, sitting down at my head. "You've got to start cleaning up your life, starting with this Cedric thing. You're just going to end up hurting both of them, and probably yourself."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Potter!"

Wood's voice startled me and I splashed my morning orange juice down my front.

"Damn it, Oliver," I said, irritated. I picked up a napkin and started attempting to clean myself. "Small sounds in the morning!"

"You'd better get used to it," he said conversationally. "Twice a day Quidditch is starting next week. That means more dawn practices."

I glared at him. "You can't be serious. Wood, we train more than all three of the other teams—combined!"

"It's my last year to win the cup!" he practically whined, his large brown eyes shining with the characteristic manic intensity.

"Oh fine," I said, giving up on cleaning my shirt. "But you know, that trump card is wearing thin real fast."

"So I came to ask you how things are going with Diggory," he commenced, ignoring my disdain. He picked up another napkin and began to finish what I had given up.

"Oliver—" I said warningly, batting away his hand. "That's my chest."

He continued, nonplussed. "Because I heard from Marietta Edgecombe who said Cho Chang was upset because he seemed to have this new girl on his mind—"

"_Oliver_—"

"—And I assumed it was you, but as you haven't really been forthcoming about any details, you'll understand that I'm sort of in the dark—"

"OLIVER!"

"—so basically, I just need to know what's going on. We need that playbook."

"OLIVER WOOD!" I shouted, grabbing his hand, forcing the napkin out of it, and hurling it away where it landed in front of a second-year Ravenclaw who slipped and fell.

"Sorry," he apologized dismissively.

"Oliver," I continued, sighing. "I have to tell you, I'm really not comfortable with this situation. I don't want to do this anymore."

"What? Jade, we need you!"

"No, you don't. We have the best team by far. Hufflepuff's a pushover, you know it, I know it, the rest of the team knows it, the school knows it. And from the time I've spent with Diggory, I really don't think he's expecting a win. He's strategic, sure, but honestly Oliver, he's not as devious as you think. This is really going against my principles here. It's making Angelina and Alicia mad at me, it's confusing the twins, and it's making my life a living hell. Do you _really_ need this playbook that badly?"

"YES!"

"_Oliver_!"

"Fine, Potter, I guess your right, but I still want the book."

"Oliver, take me off the team see if I care, I just don't want to do this anymore."

"What will happen if Diggory finds out Potter."

"I'll explain it to him, Oliver, have you ever been in love?" I asked storming away.

. . . . . . . . . . . . ..

During the study hall that afternoon, I avoided Cedric's gaze. It was apparently his turn for supervision duties, and I could feel his eyes on me; I knew he was looking over, hoping to share a smile or a glance or something that would assure to him that I was looking forward to Saturday. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was feeling terrible inside. I was so close to getting out, and yet I had failed..

"Cedric keeps looking at you," Hermione said in a low whisper.

"I know," I muttered.

"Are you giving him up,"

"I honestly don't know,"

"Hmmm."

…..

"Alright Jade?"

"Yeah, sure,"

….

"What's going on," I asked.

"Something about Sirius Black the fat lady's gone," said Seamus.

I started to cry. Dumbledore told the prefects to round up the students.

…

I noticed Cedric steal away by our sleeping bags quietly. In half a moment of indecision, I then got up.

"Cedric!" I hissed, padding up toward him. He whirled around, his eyes wide.

"Jade," he said, with what seemed like a slight look of relief. "What are you doing awake? You should get back to sleep."

"I can't sleep," I admitted. "I'm scared. And none of my friends will wake up. Can't I walk with you?"

He frowned. "Why do I feel like you only tolerate me when you need help, or when no one else is around?"

My jaw dropped. "Cedric, I—" I trailed off, unsure of how to answer.

He just looked at me.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, unable to be completely honest with him. "I should make more of an effort."

Still, he waited.

"I do like you," I admitted, looking down at the floor. "I guess I just don't know how to be friends with a Hufflepuff yet. It's new for me, you know. And I have a reputation to keep up."

"You don't want to admit I'm not a complete ponce, do you?" he asked somewhat bemused, cocking one eyebrow.

I kicked my feet around distractedly. He laughed a little. "Old habits die hard, I suppose," he said. "But I'd like it if you wouldn't be afraid to say hi to me in public, just a note for the future, Jade. That's all I ask. I don't even mind if you want to keep from them that we're going out Saturday."

I blushed furiously at the mention of the weekend. "I thought you said it wasn't a date," I said in the small voice of someone who was trying to be more confident than they actually were.

Now a slight twinge appeared at Diggory's cheeks.

He chose to dodge the statement. "I-if you want to come over to where I'm set up with the lads, you can lie down near me and we can sleep together." His mouth dropped and his face lit on fire as he realized what he had said. "I mean, obviously I didn't mean _that_, but I mean like—side-by-side, or—"

I laughed at his embarrassment. "I'm aware that you were not asking to take my virginity, Mr. Diggory," I said, bemused. "And thank you, I'll take you up on your offer."

He scratched the back of his neck, obviously feeling extremely awkward.

"Cedric, it's okay," I said, rolling my eyes. "I know you weren't soliciting me for sex. Now don't you have a little route of protection you're supposed to be on?"

"Er—yes," he said, recollecting himself. "Why don't you grab your sleeping bag and I'll walk you over to where I am? Then I've just got to wake up Bernard Clearwater for his shift…"

I nodded and quickly gathered my things. I held on tightly to Cedric's elbow as we crossed the Great Hall, the light from his wand casting queer shadows on the walls. I shivered slightly, instinctively moving closer to him. He tensed up a little at the closeness of my proximity, but then relaxed. He smelled mysteriously like jasmine.

"Here I am," he said, pointing. "And um—"

There appeared to be nowhere for me to lay out my sleeping bag. Cedric's mates were strewn about the floor haphazardly.

"I'm sorry, Jade," he said, a little lost. "Do you want me to walk you back, or…?"

"No!" I pleaded desperately. "Please let me stay with you. I can curl up into a ball, you won't even know I'm here!"

Cedric nodded. "Okay," he said. "Just um…just sit on my bag and I'll be right back, okay?"

I obeyed, watching him progress across the hall, waking up the sixth year Ravenclaw.

When Cedric returned, I could see his dark eyes calculating.

"What?" I asked nervously, praying he wasn't going to send me back. Fred was dead as a log and I knew both of the girls would ream me if I woke them up in the middle of the night.

"I don't know what to do, Jade, unless…" he spoke softly.

"Unless what?" I prompted.

"Unless we shared my sleeping bag," he finished, unable to completely look me in the eye.

My heart felt like it sped up ten times, and my stomach tied itself into a few weird knots.

"I don't mind if you don't," I said, more boldly than I felt.

He nodded, leaning down to unzip the bag. "Um, why don't you get in first, and then I'll just…"

A few awkward moments later, Cedric and I were within centimeters of one another, our eyes locked. His whole body was tense. He looked like Hermione did before a very important exam.

"Thanks," I breathed, not feeling quite so at ease myself.

He just nodded, looking down for a moment.

"You know, Jade," he began slowly.

"Yeah?" I said softly, trying to fight off the urge to sink against his chest.

"I really am sorry I gave you detention last Saturday."

"I know, Cedric," I reassured him, wondering why he was bringing this up.

"It's just that…well, you probably figured this out by now, but…I was jealous."

I looked at him curiously. "Really?" I asked. "How come?"

He looked at me, his mouth open slightly. "Because you were kissing Fred," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You were jealous because I was kissing Fred?" I repeated.

"Well, yeah. I was."

I was puzzled. "Are you _gay_?" I asked, suddenly horrified by the stupidity of my feelings for the past two weeks.

"What? No!" Cedric said, shocked. "No, Jade, I was jealous _of _Fred. Because he got to kiss _you_."

"Oh," I said stupidly. And then, "_Oh_."

"Yeah," he returned, slightly embarrassed.

We both squirmed around in the tight sleeping bag for a second.

"Well," I began. "I felt kind of stupid because…I really do fancy you."

His face brightened slightly. "You do?" he asked, slightly disbelieving.

"Well…yes. I do."

He grinned and then seemed suddenly more aware of where he was. Cedric's face grew more seriously as he ever so tentatively reached out and placed his hand on my hip. I smiled simply as I cuddled closer to him, pressing my hips into his. He seemed surprised at this boldness and then relaxed, sliding his arm around my waist on placing his hand on the small of my back.

Using his other hand, Cedric propped himself up and very carefully brushed my stray bangs away from his face. Then, slower and sweeter and more hesitant than any bloke I had ever known had done, he leaned into me and grazed my lips with his.

Cedric's kiss was far different from Fred's. The moment his lips lightly brushed mine, I felt electricity shoot all the way down my body. His lips were gentle, his kiss inquisitive. I felt my eyes close instinctively as I pulled him closer to me, returning the kiss.

It was warm, but brief. When we parted, a slow smile stole across Cedric's handsome face as he pulled me into him so that my head rested on his chest. And as I cuddled into this obnoxiously noble, obnoxiously perfect Hufflepuff Prefect, I could not help but sincerely smile too. For the night, at least, I did not worry about Oliver, Angelina or Alicia, or even Fred. I was far too happy just as I was.


End file.
